ARTURO VIDAL thinks Barcelona’s players’ attitudes have changed after Lionel Messi’s clear-the-air talks with Quique Setien.
The Barca boss was under intense pressure after the Catalan giants lost the LaLiga title to bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Arturo Vidal has opened up on Lionel Messi’s clear-the-air talks with Quique Setien
Messi was critical of Barca after they lost the LaLiga title to Real Madrid
Setien is under intense pressure to win the Champions League in order to save his job
But after showdown talks with Messi, the Chilean thinks the players have changed their approach.
Many believe Setien will be sacked if Barca don’t win the Champions League and Vidal says the squad are determined to finish the season on a high.
He told Mundo Deportivo: “Those meetings are private and it is very difficult for a player to talk about it.
“We all know what happened, the opportunity we lost to lift the league, so now we are all clear that we cannot let the Champions League pass.
“We are going to put our hearts into it because our objective is very clear: to be champions of the Champions League.”
Asked about the crunch meeting between superstar Messi and Setien, Vidal said: “I have always been comfortable here, and the players have to be comfortable to try to do their best.
“But lately that was not happening, and now clearly the attitude has changed everywhere and we are all very confident to fight for this title.”
Despite his seemingly positive words, Vidal conceded Setien is still under pressure – especially if Barca fail to win the Champions League.
He added: “When you are in the best team in the world, people ask you for results and when the season is not so good, you always have to take stock for the good of the club.
“We will see what happens but the people in charge have to decide what is the best future for Barcelona.
“If the Champions League is won or not, the people in charge will have to make decisions.”
Messi lashed out at his teammates and the club after they lost the LaLiga title to Real Madrid.
And Vidal has called on his teammates to help the Argentine in the second-leg of their last-16 against Napoli tomorrow.
The Catalans drew 1-1 with the Serie A side in the first leg in Naples before lockdown.
The winners will face Chelsea or Bayern Munich in the quarter-final in Lisbon.
He said: “We know that he is the captain and the best in the world and if he is well, he will guide us to the title.
“But we must help him. If he is well, the team will thank him and we will try to make the most of him.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
