Pep Guardiola has found a surprising ally following his criticism of Barcelona and the club’s President Sandro Rosell.
The former Barca boss told reporters this week that the Catalan giants would not leave him alone during his self-imposed sabbatical in New York, whilst expressing his frustration with club.
However, his comments have been backed up by former Barcelona handball legend Enric Masip [pictured, right], who was at the heart of the team that won six European Cups in the 1990’s and later became technical secretary of that section of the club, only to leave his post abruptly last January.
The 43-year-old, one of the greatest handball players ever, jumped to Guardiola’s defence in a statement issued via his personal Facebook account.
“It was intense and surprising to hear Pep explaining the persecution he has undergone,” posted Masip.
“He was loud and clear in what he said but it was not a shock. I also got a raw deal and suffered through the lies that were either leaked intentionally or written by people on behalf of the board.
“They only thing they know about is to lie, confuse, and try to damage the image of a club so many people have sweated for and is so beloved by all of us.
“Anybody who sees this as an attack is wrong, but it must be known what kind of people are at the head of this club. I speak not with malice but sadness.
“One day I’ll explain my two-and-a-half years working under these people and about my contract,” he added.
