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Guardiola: Barca face same struggles when Messi leaves as Real Madrid have without Ronaldo

Pep Guardiola believes Barcelona are in line for a lean period similar to that suffered by Real Madrid in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure when Lionel Messi finally leaves Camp Nou.

The Argentine has played his entire professional career in Catalunya after leaving his native Rosario for Barcelona in his early teens.

A public spat with Eric Abidal, however, has led to reports of a breakdown in the relationship between Messi and the Blaugrana.

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"I think that when you talk about players, you should give names because otherwise you are tainting everyone's name," Leo fired on Instagram in response to an interview given by the Barca director in which he suggested certain unnamed individuals were not giving 100 per cent.