'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o has not exactly been an easy player to manage or get along with as indicated by his multiple run-ins with managers and players in his career. He has had problems with Frank Rijkaard, Ronaldinho and Jose Mourinho. But none of them have come close to the problems he has had with Pep Guardiola.
Trending
Samuel Eto'o was a vital cog for Barcelona and was prolific in front of goal. He was a hard worker as well. He played a big hand in the Catalans winning the treble in the 2008-09 season, which was also Pep Guardiola's first season in charge.
After clashing with Pep Guardiola, Eto'o started being sidelined as Lionel Messi demanded a more central role. It was hard to find fault with Messi's goalscoring rates and it eventually got to the point where Eto'o had to leave the club because he understood he was not going to be afforded chances.
Given the rate at which he was scoring goals for Barcelona, it's criminal that he got pushed aside the way he was. Eto'o asked for a better contract but his request was rejected and since he was inclined towards airing his dirty laundry in the press, he was forced out.
#2 David Villa
David Villa is arguably the finest striker in the history of the Spanish football team. When he and Fernando Torres were at their peak, there was no stopping La Roja. However, he wouldn't be allowed the freedom to replicate those heroics to the fullest extent at Barcelona and Lionel Messi had a lot to do with it.
David Villa's problems with Lionel Messi were identical to that of many of his predecessors. With Messi wanting to play as the central striker, Villa was pushed out to the wings. He thrived there too thanks to his obvious quality. However, Lionel Messi wanted more mobile players playing on the flanks and Villa's stocks suffered a major drop.
He even won the UEFA Champions League once and the La Liga title twice in his three-year stint at Barcelona.
Always a team man and a great professional, David Villa never spoke ill of his teammates or his situation at Barcelona. He subsequently moved to Atletico Madrid and proved his quality by winning La Liga with the Rojiblancos in his first season there.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a habitual winner and has played for a multitude of European giants throughout his illustrious career. The Swede was signed by Barcelona in 2009 from Inter Milan for Samuel Eto'o and another €45 million.
Ibrahimovic hit the ground running after securing his dream move but his form deteriorated quite quickly and he ended up being loaned out to AC Milan after two seasons.
Ibrahimovic was at his best for Barcelona when he was deployed as the central striker. However, that changed when Lionel Messi insisted that he be played as the main striker. Subsequently, Ibra was moved to a wider role and he was not pleased at all. He even had altercations with Pep Guardiola over the same.
Later, in his autobiography Zlatan opened up about his struggles at Barcelona. He wrote:
"It was a childhood dream and I was walking on air, it started well but then Messi started to talk. He wanted to play in the middle, not on the wing, so the system changed from 4-3-3 to 4-5-1. I was sacrificed and no longer had the freedom on the pitch I need to succeed."
