Christophe Dugarry reveals that he ‘pretended to cry’ to escape Louis van Gaal during their time at Barcelona
French playmaker played just seven times during his ill-fated spell at the Nou Camp and didn't get along with boss Van Gaal
CHRISTOPHE DUGARRY has revealed how Louis van Gaal made his life a 'living hell' at Barcelona.
The French playmaker, 44, appeared just seven times during his ill-fated spell at the Nou Camp and has been reminiscing about his relationship with the Dutch boss.
Van Gaal spent three years at Barca and guided the club to two La Liga titles, before returning for a second spell in 2002.
But Dugarry has revealed how he was a nightmare to play under - and made his life 'hell', resulting in him pretending to cry to try and force a move.
Talking on SFR Sport, Dugarry described how LVG marked out his mistakes in the dressing room using water bottles.
He revealed: "Van Gaal told me 'in the 23rd-minute, you lost this ball. In the 48th-minute, you lost the ball again. And in the 53rd-minute, you lost another ball. Why did you do that?’
"And I had to answer.
RELATED STORIES
“I spent six months asking myself what I was doing there. It was surreal. The worst thing was when I went to his office to ask to leave.
"I had to leave at any cost, and what’s more, [then-France coach Aime] Jacquet had said we had to be first-choice at our clubs on the first day of 1998 … I pretended to cry, saying ‘I can’t take anymore, I have to leave'.
“And he just looked at me and said: ‘No, you can’t leave. I believe in you.’ What? You believe in me and you make me play as a defensive midfielder?
"It was a horrible six months. I went through hell.”
Van Gaal's time with Manchester United will be remembered for his plodding football and lack of direction which saw him leave his post at the end of the season.
Dugarry went on to play for Marseille after leaving Barca and would later win the World Cup and European Championships with France.