"Until Messi arrived, I saw nothing at Barcelona like Ronaldinho," said Pep Guardiola on Friday, looking at the influence the Brazilian player had, following his recent retirement.
When Pep coached the B team, Ronaldinho was the star of the first team. Later, when Pep took over, el Gaucho left the club.
The coach however says he had admiration for him.
"Ronaldinho is the person on the pitch who did most to recover the club's self-esteem, which at the time was a bit low. With the direction of an extraordinary president like Laporta, and Ronaldinho on the pitch, the club's direction changed."
Pep said: "He played fantastically for years, winning leagues and the Champions League. A player from another level. I didn't see anything like him at Barcelona until Messi arrived. His capacity to win games was astonishing."