The man said to be responsible for one of the most famous remarks made to FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has denied ever uttering those words to the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Gerardo "Tata" Martino was in charge of the Catalan giants for the 2013/14 season, and despite that being a fairly forgetful campaign, there was one moment that got tongues wagging.
Apparently, at some point during that season, the Argentine tactician was said to have told Messi: "I know that if you call the president he will dismiss me, but you don't need to prove it me every day."
Click through the gallery below to see some high-profile people Messi has fallen out with.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, however, Martino has denied ever making that comment to his countryman after former Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta claimed he did all those years ago.
Speaking about that remark recently, the 57-year-old said that he "never expressed those words", and that the "phrase is the responsibility of the former sporting director Zubizarreta, from what I read, in a note to Vicente Del Bosque.
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"In any case, if I had something to say, either now or before, I would have said it (to Messi). Those words never came out of my mouth and I have nothing to say about it."
