Messi vows to do best under new coach Valverde
AFP
AFP, TOKYO: Barcelona star Lionel Messi shied away from making major promises for the coming season Thursday, pledging only to do his best under new coach Ernesto Valverde.
Messi said he was not familiar with Valverdes style, but voiced cautious hope.
Well, I say the exact same thing I say all the time, he said at the teams celebration of a new sponsorship deal with Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten at its Tokyo headquarters.
Whenever I start a new season, there is a very clear-cut goal, which is FC Barcelona would do its best, said the Argentina international who recently extended his contract with the Catalan giants.
Personally, I am very happy and looking forward to starting a new season, he said.
Everything will become new (under Valverde). We are hearing a lot about his very good reputation, he said, adding that he held hopes on the new beginning.
We would like to do our best.
Teammate Arda Turan was more enthusiastic about the coming season.
Its important that we are going to win all the titles this year. We can do it, the Turkey international said.
They were joined by Neymar and Gerard Pique for the media event with Rakuten founder and chief executive officer Hiroshi Mikitani.
Rakutens four-year sponsorship deal, worth 55 million euros ($63 million) a year, will last through June 2021, with the option of a one-year extension. The e-commerce firm replaced Qatar Airways, Barcelonas shirt sponsor since 2013.
Rakuten signed the deal as it seeks to expand overseas. The company already owns J-League side Vissel Kobe and professional baseball team Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Gerard Pique believes that Barcelona will be able to adapt their style if Lionel Messi transitions into a central midfield role this season.
Goal.com understands that Barca plan to deploy summer signing Gerard Deulofeu on the right flank, with Messi featuring in a deeper role at Camp Nou.
Ernesto Valverde is likely to move to a 3-4-3 formation, leading to Messi playing as a playmaker, and Pique is sure they will be able to make a smooth transition. We all get older and our physical qualities go down, its something that happens to every player when time goes on, there are players who feel it more than others but we all try to adapt our style, he told Goal.com during a Rakuten sponsorship event.
Arda Turan and Neymar joined Pique at the event, and the trio are all confident of enjoying great success under Valverde, formerly of Athletic Bilbao.
I remember him at Bilbao, he has a good character, when they played against us they always played well and had a powerful team, said Arda. I know he is a good trainer and now we are going to see him at the highest level.
Neymar added: I agree with Arda but I dont personally know the new coach, I have heard lots of good things about him.
And Pique believes that Valverdes history as a Barca player will stand him in good stead: He is a coach with a consolidated career, he has worked with many teams in Spanish championship, he was a Barcelona player and I think he has all the possible requirements for doing a great job.
However, the former Manchester United defender maintains that Barca must not get ahead of themselves as they look to reclaim their Liga title in 2017-18.
In the sports world you depend on results. If they are positive it is OK, but if not, there are always things you can change: players, coaches... the future has to be seen in a maximum lapse of two months because you can never predict it.
