Former Barcelona defender Rafael Márquez recalled the moment then-coach Pep Guardiola told Lionel Messi to “shut up.”
The incident occurred after a fight between five players during training.
Márquez played for Barça between 2003 and 2010 and lined up alongside Messi during that period.
On one occasion, the two players had an angry confrontation, after Márquez expressed his anger at Messi for holding onto the ball for too long.
Now it has become known that Guardiola intervened to defend the Mexican and put Messi in his place.
Marquez said, quoted by The Mirror: “Yes, in a game of five (we faced each other).
“He was on my team and, of course, Messi had the ball. He had the goal to shoot and he didn’t shoot.
“We were losing and we told him: ‘Messi, shoot, Messi, score a goal.’ Nothing.
“Until I got angry and told him: ‘Messi, drop the ball, brother.’
“Then he approached me and answered me. Pep arrived and said: ‘Messi, shut up. “We must respect Rafa’s hierarchy.”
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