Setien was sacked by the Catalans after just seven months in charge following Barcelona’s poor end to the 2019/2020 season where they missed out on the La Liga title to rivals Real Madrid and were thrashed by Bayern Munich 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final stage.
In a recent interview with El Pais, Setien revealed what led to his exit at Barcelona and even disclosed his relationship with Messi, insisting that managing the six-time Ballon d’Or winner was difficult.
Valdano has criticized the former Real Betis man for what he said.
“There are implicit reproaches, veiled, within the discussion,” said Valdano on ‘El Transistor’. “When you speak, either you say everything very clearly or you leave a suspicion that is very uncomfortable.
“We all know that he was talking about Messi and he doesn’t make a wonderful impression in the conversation with Vicente.
“I’m of the opinion that a coach is a very senior manager of a company and what he didn’t say when he was inside the company, he doesn’t have to say when he is outside. That’s my opinion.
“The dressing room is a very particular environment, full of conventions, and what happens there should not be publicized.
“And if it is done, it must be done with total clarity, with the smallest details. Here there are some doubts within an interview where, for me, Messi does not seem to be very well off.
“He has lived that intimacy. At some point, he reproaches himself for not having decided, that he was afraid of being above the culture of the club.”
