Lionel Messi said he counts himself lucky to have worked under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and that the Spaniard brings "something special" to coaching; comments that are likely to fuel speculation the pair could reunite at Manchester City.
Messi was the pillar of Guardiola's Barca side that won 14 major titles and has been linked with a switch to City since the manager signed a new deal that will keep him at the Premier League club until the end of the 2022-23 season.
The Argentine player is into the final few months of his current contract in Spain having unsuccessfully tried to leave Barca during the close season.
"Pep has something special," Messi told Spanish channel La Sexta.
"He makes you see things in one way: how he prepares for matches, defensively, how to attack ... he told you exactly how the match was going to be, how you had to attack to win.
"I was lucky ... to train under Guardiola and Luis Enrique, the two best. Having them made me grow a lot physically and mentally, and also the tactical wisdom they've taught me."
Guardiola said last month that he is unsure what the future holds for Messi but hopes that, as a Barcelona fan, he will remain at the La Liga club until the end of his career.
"Leo Messi is a player for Barcelona and if you're asking me for my opinion, I am a person who has a huge gratitude to Barcelona for what they did for me as a player, they gave me absolutely everything, from the start, from my time in the academy," Guardiola said.
"So I want him to finish his career there. That is what I want. As a Barcelona fan, I would like for Leo to finish there. But this year he finishes his contract and after that, we don't know what will happen and what is in his mind.
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21 transfers on the cards in January 2021
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
It Was Just an Accident
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