A former Newell's Old Boys manager has slammed the decision to name the new stand at the club's stadium after Lionel Messi.
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Messi left Newell's Old Boys aged 13 Argentine club names new stand after himEx-manager slams decisionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
The Argentinian team's decision to name the new stand at the Marcelo Bielsa Stadium after Messi has been criticised by former manager Juan Manuel Llop. He says this move is "all about marketing" and has questioned why the Inter Miami star was given this honour when he left the club's academy for Barcelona aged 13.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT LLOP SAID
Llop told Radio 2, via TNT Sports: "My question is this: What did Messi do for Newell's? The world aligns itself with marketing. He's the best player in the world, but the same goes for [Diego] Maradona in the stands. It's all about marketing, about looking good. There are very important people in Newell's history who did a lot of things, making history, winning several championships. I don't agree with those decisions. It's not because they put me in charge."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all time and he did spend five years of his life at Newell's Old Boys' academy. But he made a name for himself at Barcelona and never played for the Argentine side's first-team. Ergo, some may, quite understandably, feel irked by this move.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
While some people will quibble with this stand's new name, following months of construction, many are wondering if Messi will extend his stay at Inter Miami – with his current deal expiring at the end of 2025. Messi has been linked with a romantic return to boyhood club Newell's in recent months.
