Johan Cruyff was extremely critical of the Board of Directors in the wake of Barcelona crashing out in the quarter finals of theChampions League. The former Barça coach highlighted, above all, the lack of sway Tata Martino has when it comes to decision making.
“You can’t fault him because he is doing what he can. But it’s really hard to manage a team if no one lets you,” he explained. The one that should make the decisions in the dressing room is the coach, but for the last four years this hasn’t been the case, it’s been somebody else. They even sold a player thatGuardiolawanted, Chigrinsky,” he said. The Dutchman went on to say that this team is “not my Barça”.
Cruyff analysed the club’s elimination from the Champions League in the cold light of day. “I understand that the fans are sad, but not angry. After beating Real Madrid, Messi was the best player in the world and now he’s the worst,” he argued. The Dutchman doesn’t accept the charge that the Barça players are less ambitious. “It’s nonsense, why would they lose their enthusiasm? Messi is a great player. He’s got a street mentality, and there you want to win every day and be the best,” he claimed. As far as the organisation is concerned, he said what has happened in Can Barça recently “is awful”.
Cruyff also drew attention to the fact that Neymar earns more than many other players in the squad despite his young age: “I don’t blame him. He’s come out of it badly, a victim. He needs to learn from his mistakes.”
