Ahead of his country’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador at River Plate’s El Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina captain Lionel Messi spoke to the press and one of the topics on everyone’s mind was what did he make of Barca manager Pep Guardiola’s departure after four fantastic years at the club. Under Guardiola, Messi has only blossomed as a player, showcasing his true potential after he was proclaimed as a future star of the game at 17.  ”After everything that he achieved, replacing Guardiola is no easy feat,” said Messi at the Argentina training camp in Ezeiza. ”Everything was thanks to Pep and Tito. I wish him all the best for the future.”

The captain of Albiceleste added, “The truth is that Pep’s departure surprised me. It saddens me because I didn’t expect it. I spent four amazing years at his side. Now we’re moving into a new age and I have to live it with the same intensity. It won’t be easy. It’s difficult to say what we expect from Tito. He coached me when I was a kid. Like Guardiola said – they did everything together, and that was a great help to me during those years.”

With a whopping 73 goals last season, many still consider Lionel Messi a favourite to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or despite Barca failing to win La Liga and UEFA Champions League. But that’s not what’s on the mind of the player. “I’m not thinking about the Ballon d’Or,” he said. “From now until December there is much to do. There are titles to compete for with Barcelona, as well as games with Argentina.”

Source: Marca, Photo credit: Michael Steele/Getty Images