Ronaldinho has spoken about Lionel Messi’s struggles.
Messi was whistled by Paris Saint-Germain fans at the Parc des Princes after the French club were knocked out of the Champions League in limp fashion by Real Madrid.
Messi wasn’t his usual self at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg, with Karim Benzema’s late hat-trick deciding the tie.
Messi and Neymar Junior, his former Barcelona teammate, were the subject of criticism during their next game after the defeat.
Ronaldinho, speaking in comments carried by Diario AS, has revealed that he doesn’t understood such disrespect.
“It’s difficult for Messi because he arrived after many years playing a completely different football at a club that has always played the same way,” Ronaldinho said. “He just lacks adaptation, but the rest will come naturally. It’s normal. He just needs time.
“I don’t understand [why Messi was whistled]. If you whistle Messi, there’s nothing left! If you whistle the best in the world, who are you going to applaud? I don’t get it.”
Ronaldinho knows Messi well, of course, having coincided with him at Barcelona between 2004 and 2008. The Brazilian was the best player in the world for a two-year spell in the mid-2000s.
Born in Porto Alegre, the playmaker earned 97 caps for the Brazilian national team and scored 33 goals. With Barcelona he played 207 games, contributing 94 goals and 71 assists.
He enjoyed real success at Camp Nou, too.
Ronaldinho won La Liga twice with Barcelona as well as the Champions League in 2006. He is also a World Cup-winner due to his experience with the Selecao back in 2002.
