Jordi Alba has taken teammate Lionel Messi‘s side amid the internal struggles at Barcelona.
On Tuesday, sporting director Eric Abidal told Spanish newspaper Sport that Barcelona players had been guilty of poor communication and a questionable work ethic under ex-manager Ernesto Valverde. Messi hit back quickly on social media, challenging his former teammate to “name names” while noting that “directors need to take their responsibilities, too.”
Some calm was restored Wednesday when club president Josep Maria Bartomeu spoke with Messi and Abidal. Following a long meeting, it was decided the club would stick with the sporting director, according to The Guardian’s Sid Lowe.
But when Alba was prompted to speak about the situation after Thursday’s 1-0 Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao, the full-back told Reuters, “This club gets enough shit thrown at it from the outside so we shouldn’t be throwing shit at ourselves.”
Alba added: “Abidal was a player. He is loved by the fans and that’s why he should know what it’s like inside the dressing room and how players feel.”
Quique Setien, who succeeded Valverde as Barcelona boss in mid-January, has now overseen two …read more