Quique Setien arrived at Barcelona in January 2020 believing he had landed the opportunity of a lifetime.

The former Blaugrana coach had spent years admiring the team from afar, with Lionel Messi a major reason he regularly tuned in to watch them play.

Yet his short spell at Camp Nou proved far more complicated than he had imagined .

Speaking on the podcast Quien Marca Gana (h/t SPORT ), Setien revisited his turbulent time in charge, explaining why he struggled to feel comfortable in the dressing room and revealing that he had nearly accepted a lucrative offer to work in Egypt before Barcelona came calling.

Setien’s admiration for Messi long predated his appointment as Barcelona coach.

The Argentine had been central to the footballing identity that inspired Setien, making the chance to work with him a remarkable moment in the Spaniard’s career.

“I once said to Messi: ‘I’ve spent 14 years of my life looking forward to Barcelona’s matches just to watch you play’.”

Taking charge of Barcelona was equally special for the coach, who had built his reputation around possession-based football, attacking intent and collective play.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "El ex entrenador del Barcelona Quique Setién habla sobre la admiración por Messi y sus luchas en el vestuario: "No era yo mismo"" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Locker Room News metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 LiveWire Editorial Desk. Readers following "El ex entrenador del Barcelona Quique Setién habla sobre la admiración por Messi y sus luchas en el vestuario: "No era yo mismo"" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.