Barcelona Set Up Meeting With Eric Abidal Over Row With Lionel Messi

Eric Abidal's role at FC Barcelona as the sporting director is under huge threat following a dispute with the team's captain Lionel Messi and the club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu will be meeting with Abidal to discuss his future at the club. 

The former Barca full-back alleged the team of not giving their all under former head coach Ernesto Valverde and also claimed that he sensed there was a breakdown of "internal communication" at the time during a discussion with a Spanish tabloid Sport. 

Those claims did not settle with Messi and he outrightly dismissed Abidal's claims, accusing the club's senior officials of passing the buck instead of taking responsibility for the "decisions" they made. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner expressed his disagreement with Abidal's comments in a clip that surfaced on Instagram. 

"I think that everyone has to be responsible for their job and take responsibility for their decisions," Messi said. "Those in charge of sporting direction should also face up to their responsibilities and above all take charge of their own decisions."

Ernesto Valverde was sacked in January, ending his three-year reign at the club during which he led the team without winning a Spanish La Liga but only won Copa del Rey. He was replaced with Quique Setien.