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Marc-Andre ter Stegen has spoken at length about his relationship with Lionel Messi was never a smooth one during their time at Barcelona. Although the German shotstopper played alongside the Argentine for 10 years at Camp Nou, he revealed that he had never really had any close relationships with Messi.
The duo had many personal and professional differences that led to friction between them. Speaking about the legendary playmaker, Ter Stegen said (via Barca Universal):
"I hold immense respect for Messi, but there were times when me and him didn't get along and our relationship wasn’t the best. At times, I was at fault, and at other times, it was his fault."
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Ter Stegen’s farewell message when Lionel Messi left the club in 2021 was very measured, with the goalkeeper hinting at their troubles (via FootBoom):
"Although we sometimes did not share the same opinion, we always moved in the same direction and each of us grew as a person beyond winning or losing. Thank you!"
The two were big personalities in the dressing room, but they had differing perspectives about how to lead. This reportedly caused some friction, including arguments over the best way to manage the squad (via FootBoom). In 2020, speculation of a training ground spat at Barcelona only added to the rumors.
Yaya Toure says Barcelona players shielded young Lionel Messi from rough treatment
Barcelona players went to great lengths to protect Lionel Messi when they first spotted his potential, as Yaya Toure revealed. The former Ivory Coast international enjoyed a three-year spell at Camp Nou during which he played alongside various legends, including Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and, of course, Messi himself.
Speaking to ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ about training young Messi, he said (via GOAL):
"Everyone protected him because we knew he was a talented player and we recognized how good he was. That was very beneficial for the club. We were happy when opponents pressed us high. Because we simply, without thinking, would try to pass the ball to him immediately."
Messi grew to become a legendary player at the Camp Nou, where he led them to numerous trophies as he won six Ballon d'Or awards. He would later pick two others while at Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, respectively.
Lionel Messi notably broke many records in Barcelona's history, scoring 672 goals and creating 303 assists in 778 appearances.
