Messi has given maximum since ending transfer saga, says Koeman

03-Oct-2020 12:13:56 | Yahoo Sports

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: BARCELONA SQUAD TRAINING AHEAD OF LA LIGA MATCH AGAINST SEVILLA, BARCELONA COACH RONALD KOEMAN HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE SHOWS: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 3, 2020) (BARCA TV HANDOUT - MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO) 1. BARCELONA PLAYERS ARRIVING ON PITCH FOR TRAINING SESSION 2. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS AT PITCH BEFORE TRAINING SESSION 3. BARCELONA FORWARD LEO MESSI TALKING TO DEFENDER JORDI ALBA 4. BARCELONA COACH RONALD KOEMAN TALKING TO PLAYERS AT TRAINING SESSION 5. BARCELONA PLAYERS FRENKIE DE JONG, JEAN-CLAIR TODIBO, SERGINO DEST AND PHILIPPE COUTINHO WARMING UP 6. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 7. BARCELONA MIDFIELDER RIQUI PUIG PLAYING WITH BALL 8. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 9. VARIOUS OF BARCELONA GOALKEEPERS WARMING UP 10. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 11. COACH RONALD KOEMAN WEARING MASKS AND TALKING WITH BARCA STAFF 12. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 13. MESSI DURING TRAINING SESSION 14. VARIOUS OF MESSI DRIVING THE BALL DURING TRAINING SESSION 15. BARCA STAFF MOVING GOAL 16. BARCELONA'S NEW FULL BACK SERGINO DEST, DRIVING THE BALL 17. TRAINING SESSION 18. DEST DURING TRAINING SESSION 19. BARCELONA FORWARD ANSU FATI RUNNING 20. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 21. UNIDENTIFIED PLAYER DURING TRAINING SESSION 22. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 23. MESSI DURING TRAINING SESSION 24. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 25. BARCELONA FORWARD ANTOINE GRIEZMANN 26. VARIOUS OF TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 27. BARCELONA DEFENDER GERARD PIQUE JUMPING AND RUNNING 28. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 29. BARCELONA MIDFIELDER MIRALEM PJANIC AND FORWARD MARTIN BRAITHWAITE RUNNING AND DRIVING THE BALL 30. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS 31. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, SAYING: "From day one Leo has trained and played well and has given the maximum for the club, for his team and for his team mates and I have had no complaints about him on any day," 32. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION 33. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, SAYING: "There's no debate, for me he has always been the best player in the world, I thought that before from the outside and I think it even more now I'm working with him. He's fully committed, he's an example to everyone as a captain should be." 34. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION 35. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, SAYING: "There are only a few days left and it is true that we want to have this player (Eric Garcia) here. In principle we have 3 or 4 central defenders, it's a bit tight, but I can't say more." 36. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION 37. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, SAYING: "He (Philippe Coutinho) is a very good player, he has learned a lot in England and with Bayern and my job as a coach is to get the best out of each player and find their best role." 38. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION 39. KOEMAN LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE STORY: Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said on Saturday (October 3) Lionel Messi has been the ideal captain and an example to the rest of the team for the way he has applied himself since deciding to stay at the club this season. Messi gave an outstanding performance in Barca's 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Thursday (October 1) after playing the whole second half with 10 men, crushing any fears that the Argentine might not be committed to the team after the club refused to let him leave. "From day one Leo has trained and played well and has given the maximum for the club, for his team and for his team mates and I have had no complaints about him on any day," Koeman said ahead of Barca's La Liga game at home to Sevilla on Sunday (October 4). "There's no debate, for me he has always been the best player in the world, I thought that before from the outside and I think it even more now I'm working with him. He's fully committed, he's an example to everyone as a captain should be." Koeman also praised the form of Philippe Coutinho, who has thrived since returning from a loan spell at Bayern Munich, having flopped in his first two seasons with the Catalans after a club record move from Liverpool in 2018. "Coutinho is a very good player, he has learned a lot in England and with Bayern and my job as a coach is to get the best out of each player and find their best role," he said. "A coach can help but it all starts with the quality of a player and Coutinho is a great footballer." The Dutchman also said Barca want to sign a striker and a centre back before the transfer window shuts, confirming their interest in Manchester City defender Eric Garcia. "We would like to sign this player, we have four centre backs and we are short there. We know it's difficult financially but I hope we can get it done." (Production: Elena Rodriguez)