Messi ate too much pizza last season, says Barca boss

Lionel Messi wasn’t at his best for Barcelona last season because he ‘ate more pizza than he should have’, according to sporting director, Carles Rexach.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner did not enjoy his best season at Barcelona last year, ending the campaign trophyless and with a haul of 36 goals in 39 games for the Catalan club – his lowest since 2008-09.
And now Barca’s new sporting director Carles Rexach has hinted that the relative lack of form came from a poor diet, claiming that Messi was eating too much pizza to perform at his best.
‘Before, he ate at the club and rested after,’ Rexach said. ‘But I think last year Messi ate more pizza than he should have.’
Earlier this season, the post-match meal preferences of Messi and his team-mates was revealed by by Spanish newspaper Libertad Digital who leaked a copy of the club’s menu sheet before their draw against Malaga in September.
And the Argentine superstar opted for a Sprite to wash down his cheese pizza after struggling to inspire his side in the 0-0 draw on the Costa del Sol.
Rexach, who played for Barca between 1967-1981 and was later a coach before being appointed as sporting director this month, also spoke about manager Luis Enrique’s early struggles after he reportedly fell out with Messi.
‘Luis Enrique started with too many rules, whoever doesn’t train doesn’t play,’ Rexach told Catalan paper Regio7. said. ‘Let’s see what happens when Messi doesn’t train and you need him.’