'Riquelme didn't triumph at Barca because he had Van Gaal as his coach': The real reason behind Messi's celebration in front of Van Gaal

The angry side of Lionel Messi was seen during Argentina's penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-final. Messi's anger was triggered by Dutch manager Luis Van Gaal after a press conference.

In revenge, Messi celebrated in front of Van Gaal in the fashion of former Argentina player Riquelme after scoring Argentina's second goal of the game. Then he went on a post-match rant against the Dutch tactician.

"I was angry about the pre-match because I think that a coach like Van Gaal, with the experience he has, with the games he has played throughout his career and that he spoke in the way he did, that he disrespected. I think he should not have been like that, it did not make sense," Messi said.

According to Josep Maria Minguella, the agent who brought Messi to Barcelona. Messi and many Argentines have always been unhappy with Van Gaal for his treatment of Riquelme during his days at Barcelona in the early 2000s. Messi for one considered Riquelme one of his idols.

Ex-Barca striker Hristo Stoichkov claimed Riquelme failed at Barca because Van Gaal didn't use him well.

"Why didn't Riquelme triumph at Barca? Because he had a d***head like Van Gaal as his coach. It's clear, isn't it? He did not succeed because of the way Van Gaal put him on the field," Stoichkov said.

"But even so, the first year in Barcelona he also enjoyed a lot. I enjoyed his goals, passes, plays, stepovers, but when one comes who wants to invent one thing from something else, it's impossible. He [van Gaal] did good things that must be recognized but many have suffered in football due to his silly things," the Barca legend added.

Van Gaal left Barcelona in 2003 when Messi was still a teenage prospect in the club's La Masia Academy. But the animosity against Van Gaal was already brewing. It fermented and spilt over in Qatar.

Source: Sportskeeda