Gerardo Martino has said he will have failed in his role as Barcelona coach if he is unable to get Lionel Messi and Neymar playing to the best of their ability in his starting line-up, reports Soccernet.
Martino, speaking at a press conference to announce his arrival at the Camp Nou on a two-year contract, has the task of accommodating two of world football’s biggest stars next season – one of them from his hometown of Rosario.
But he is certain that Neymar, who arrived this summer on a five-year deal, and four-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi will complement one another perfectly in a Barca team which he believes can go on winning for many years to come.
‘I find it hard to believe two great players like Messi and Neymar won’t be able to play together. It is not going to be a problem,’ Martino said.
‘If I can’t make them play together it is a deficit on my part as coach.’
Martino said his first goal is to make sure the players are focused on winning.
‘I think Barca getting this has many great years ahead. My goal is to get the players to know me and trust me and to help form a technical group,’ he said.
‘I see it as a natural thing that people need to get to know me. If I had been working in Europe then I would have been more well-known but it was
part of my life to coach in Argentina.’
There has been speculation that Messi’s role in the Barca side could be changed to accommodate Neymar’s arrival. However, Martino insists that Messi’s importance to the cause is not in question.
‘The ideal would be to have a team that helps me with all the options,’ he said. ‘Messi has played in different positions, but he is scoring more than ever. Lionel Messi will play at the same position. We want him to feel comfortable on the team as he has been.’
Reports suggested that Messi, who is from the same region of Argentina as Martino and also has connections with Newell’s Old Boys, had helped his countryman secure the role.
Messi distanced himself from these claims saying ‘I don’t know him personally and I never met with him,’ something that Martino backed up.
‘[Messi] said something that is really true,’ he said. ‘We are from Rosario and basically from Newell’s and we didn’t know each other. In Rosario we always said that he is the best player in the world and we always say that as we are coming from another place.’
Martino said he would be happy to work with the team as it was, and about Manchester United’s bid for Cesc Fabregas, he had this to say: ‘Evidently I am not going to get into the economic interests of the club, If the club rejected the bid twice, they will reject a third time.’
Martino confirmed that he has spoken to outgoing coach Tito Vilanova and took time to send his best wishes to him as he continues to receive treatment for throat cancer.
‘Yes we spoke and I want to thank him for everything,’ Martino said. ‘We want to send him lots of strength. We don’t know him but we all know the situation and we have to understand. Fundamentally, we wish him the best.’
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarretta said hearing the news of Vilanova’s decision to step down was particularly difficult for the team.
‘From the time we heard the news, the days felt so long, like 72 hours each because we were processing a lot of information, we were worried about Tito and we wanted also to respect his space,’ he said. ‘I don’t’ think I slept. The phone conversation (with Tata) was only an hour-and-a-half, the process felt like an eternity.’
-With New Age input
