Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi slammed for lack of leadership during defeat to
‘Messi is not captain material’: Barcelona talisman slammed for lack of leadership on social media after footage emerged showing him looking dejected in the dressing room at half-time of Bayern Munich humbling
- Lionel Messi has been savaged by social media users over his lack of leadership
- Barcelona exited the Champions League after a heavy defeat to Bayern Munich
- Footage emerged that shows Messi looking dejected during the half-time break
- The 33-year-old superstar appeared to make no effort to inspire his team-mates
Barcelona‘s players have been savaged on social media after their humiliating defeat to Bayern Munich – and Lionel Messi is no exception after showing a shocking lack of leadership.
Footage has emerged from inside the LaLiga giants’ dressing room which shows Messi appearing visibly deflated and sitting down with his shoulders slumped during the half-time break.
His team-mates then begin to prepare to re-emerge for the second half in Lisbon but the 33-year-old, who captains the team, appears to make no effort to inspire them.
Lionel Messi (left) has been criticised for a lack of leadership during Barcelona’s humiliation
The 33-year-old captains the team but was powerless to prevent their Champions League exit
Messi resembled a truly beaten man after watching on as the Bundesliga champions ran riot in their Champions League quarter-final clash on Friday night.
Barcelona shipped four goals in each half, two of which came from their own player in Philippe Coutinho, and Messi struggled to impose himself on the shockingly one-sided encounter.
But as Quique Setien’s men floundered and unfolded in embarrassing fashion, Messi also failed to rally his fellow stars both on and off the field – leaving social media users free to criticise his subdued nature.
Footage has emerged showing Messi failing to inspire his team-mates at half-time in Lisbon
Barcelona had shipped four goals in either half against the rampant Bundesliga champions
Quique Setien’s sacking is expected to be confirmed imminently just six months into his reign
One user believes that Messi is ‘not captain material’. They wrote that Barcelona’s players would have written the game off after only 45 minutes judging by their leader’s lack of reaction.
Another said: ‘Let’s be honest, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos don’t allow that to happen. Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique looked dead and buried, zero leadership.’
A third believes that any good captain should ‘remain strong’ regardless of the scoreline, and added: ‘No wonder Barca had no morale when Messi looked like this at half-time.’
Juventus forward…
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