Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov has criticised the current unrest at his former club and believes the situation is chaotic.
Director of football Andoni Zubizarreta’s departure this week followed by Carles Puyol’s decision to leave, allied to Lionel Messi’s alleged breakdown of his relationship with boss Luis Enrique and the defeat to Real Sociedad, has left Stoichkov feeling Barca are on a downward spiral.
“It seems to me that Barca are descending into chaos and everything is topsy turvy at the club right now, while added to that the next game is against Atletico Madrid,” he told Onda Cero radio.
“We don’t want to see Barcelona returning to the days of Louis Van Gaal, when we won the League with just 13,000 people in the stands, but we are heading that way.
“We are on the same path that [former President] Joan Gaspar took in spending millions on four or five players who were useless.”
The Bulgarian believes it is imperative the Blaugrana take care of Lionel Messi, who started the 1-0 defeat to La Real on the bench following the Christmas break.
“You’ve got to look after the world’s best player but it appears that because he was allowed an extra two days’ holiday he couldn’t play as it was too much of a risk he’d get injured.
“Who gave him permission for that? If someone authorises it then it must be on the understanding he comes back and is able to play.
“All players should be treated equally. If Barca had won that game they would be top of the table and it wouldn’t be such a big thing, but the problem is that they lost and the way in which they lost.
“Messi will recover and return but Barca’s problems are within the club. Messi should end his career there and that’s all there is to it.
“There has to be a stop to all this stupid in-fighting and he needs to be looked after, cared for, but name me one of Barca’s former foreign players who hasn’t left by the back door.
“When he needs to rest they must let him rest on the condition he goes out there and plays,” added Stoichkov.
