"They came to training drunk" - When ex-Barcelona star claimed Ronaldinho and Deco were sold in 2008 to protect Lionel Messi

Former Barcelona forward Alexander Hleb once claimed that club legends Ronaldinho and Deco were sold in 2008 to protect a young Lionel Messi after the duo reportedly turned up drunk to training. The duo together played for Barca between 2004 to 2008, before Ronaldinho moved to AC Milan and Deco was sold to Chelsea.

In the mid-to-late 2000s, both players were considered an integral part of La Blaugrana's squad. It was also the time when Lionel Messi was an emerging talent at the club. Hleb, who joined the Catalan side in 2008, recalled that time in an interview with Voka TV. He said (via Bleacher Report):

"Ronaldinho and Deco came to training drunk. That's why they were sold in 2008. Because they [Barcelona] were afraid that they would bring down Lionel Messi."

As per journalist Daniel Taylor from The Guardian, then-coach Pep Guardiola also had a role to play in Deco and Dinho's sales. Shortly after taking over as head coach in 2008, Guardiola told the media after he did not consider the two players in his plans.

Ronaldinho and Deco are still considered integral to the club's success in the early 2000s, as the duo together won two La Liga titles and one UEFA Champions League title for the club.

In his five-year stint at Barcelona, Ronaldinho scored 94 goals and provided 71 assists in 207 appearances for the club across competitions. Meanwhile, Deco found the net 20 times and set up 45 goals in 161 appearances. Deco is still associated with Barcelona as its current sporting director.

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"This is a memory we will never forget" - When Ronaldinho recalled assisting Lionel Messi's first goal for Barcelona

After making his senior team debut in October 2004, Lionel Messi scored his first goal for Barcelona in the subsequent year against Albacete, marking the beginning of his historic career with the Catalan club. The Argentine's first goal for La Blaugrana was assisted by Ronaldinho.

In an interview with The Athletic, the Brazilian recalled the iconic moment and said:

"Whenever I remember this moment, it is very special because that was where his career began. Having the opportunity to participate in the beginning of his story is beautiful. It was something very natural and it filled me with joy to see a young man, my friend, doing well with that first goal."

The Blaugrana legend added:

"And to my happiness and luck, the pass to the goal was mine. It fills me with happiness to know that his first goal came from my feet. This is a memory we will never forget."

Lionel Messi went on to score 672 goals and record 303 assists for Barcelona in 778 appearances across competitions. After 17 years at the Camp Nou, the Argentine left the club in 2021 to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), before moving to his current club Inter Miami in 2023.