Ajax's head coach Erik ten Hag has surprisingly criticised Leo Messi for the way he has been playing recently.
He told Voetbal International: "Messi still excels, but also performs under his usual level here and there. This wasn’t the case under Pep. Under Pep, he used to play in the service of the team. Now, Messi is above the team and everyone is in service to him."
Ten Hag also reminded that Barcelona haven't claimed any international trophies in recent years. In fact, the Catalans haven't won the Champions League since 2015.
It's true that Barcelona have grown a bit Messi-dependent. After all, the Argentinian has been directly involved in more than 70 per cent of the goals Barcelona have scored since Quique Setien's appointment on January 13.
In total, the Argentinian has netted eight goals and provided seven assists during this run. In total, Barca have scored 21 goals in 12 games under the new manager.
During the 2019-2020 campaign, Messi has scored 24 goals and provided 16 assists in 31 games in all competitions.
Check out Messi's best Champions League goals:
Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona won 14 honours, including two Champions League trophies. He was the one to introduce a new role for Leo Messi, the 'false nine' position.
