Barcelona officially confirmed the departure of Ernesto Valverde on Monday night, and Lionel Messi has now reacted to the news publicly.
The Catalan giants also swiftly announced the appointment of Quique Setien as his successor, and he will now prepare the team ahead of their clash with Granada this weekend.
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However, there would have been time to reflect for the current squad having worked with Valverde over the last two-and-a-half years, during which he led them to back-to-back La Liga titles and domestic honours.
There certainly were bumps in the road too though, most notably their exits from the Champions League over the last two seasons, but the Spaniard and the Barcelona players enjoyed success together and that will no doubt be remembered and appreciated by all concerned.
In a classy touch from Messi, he has posted on Instagram and bid farewell to his now former boss, as evidently even though things didn’t always go right on the pitch, he clearly has respect for Valverde and the job that he did at the Nou Camp during his tenure.
“Thank you for everything, Mr. Surely you will be great wherever you go because, besides being a great professional, you are a great person. Good luck and a big hug,” the caption reads.
It’s a nice touch from Messi, who will no doubt soon switch his focus to performing at his best for Setien moving forward as the reigning La Liga champions begin a new chapter but continue to strive to play great football and win trophies.