Barcelona star Samuel Umtiti slams Pep Guardiola tactics as ‘boring, keeping possession for years’
French defender also called Pep Guardiola's playing style 'boring' in incredible rant about the now-Manchester City boss
BARCELONA defender Samuel Umtiti has claimed Lionel Messi treats his team-mates like nothing more than ‘cones’ during training session.
The French star, 23, joined the La Liga giants from Ligue 1 side Lyon in the summer in a £20million deal.
But Umtiti has been welcomed to life at Barca by being regularly humiliated by the Argentine wizard in training sessions, claiming Messi dribbles past players with complete ease.
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He said: “He has so much ease on the ball. His talent is innate although he works a lot.
“In training he does things that are out of the norm.
“Sometimes he dribbles past everyone as if we were nothing more than cones, including me.”
Umtiti also went on a spectacular rant regarding now-Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, claiming he found his stint at Barcelona to be ‘boring’ – despite the Spaniard getting his hands on three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns in just four seasons.
On Guardiola’s tactics during his reign at the Catalan giants, Umtiti said: “It was less passionate.
“I said to my friends, ‘I adore Barca but when they keep possession for ten years, it’s boring’.
“Later their play changed again.”
Umtiti has turned out ten times for Luis Enrique’s Barca side this season, but has struggled on and off with injury.
The Frenchman is set to return from a three-week lay-off when Barcelona take on Segunda B side Hercules in the last-32 of the Copa Del Rey on Wednesday evening.
Cup holders Barca will play the second leg of that clash on December 21.
Barcelona currently sit second in the La Liga table, six points behind the unbeaten Real Madrid after 13 games of the 2016-17 season.