Cruyff: Messi won’t leave for money

Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff believes Lionel Messi would not leave the Catalans purely for economic reasons.

Moreover, the Dutchman insists that Messi’s recent declarations that he could one day leave Barca were motivated by internal problems.

“Sure, there are teams that would be willing to pay €200m for Messi, but he won’t leave just for money,” Cruyff told Cadena COPE’s ‘El Partido de las 12’ programme.

“With Messi the tax authorities investigate him every three or four years and that bothers him.

“His problems with Barca are internal and things can happen there that neither you nor I know about.

“You try to play football to enjoy it and there are certain things you shouldn’t have to worry about, but they bother you.”

In a similar vein, the former Barcelona boss said he would never imagine Cristiano Ronaldo playing for the Blaugrana, something he called “absurd”, nor could he ever see Jose Mourinho sat on the bench at the Camp Nou.

“I don’t think Mourinho will Coach this club. His style of play does not fit in here,” he explained.

Cruyff also commented on Barca’s style of play under Luis Enrique this season.

“People always talk about it from the point of view of winning and losing, but that has nothing to do with the style of play.

“The result is always spoken about but Barcelona’s play has been good. If a team has four or five new players then they need time to adapt, even if they are very good.

“Things are not going that badly,” he suggested.

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