Rivaldo Urges Barcelona to Find Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez’s successor

DBasia.news – Barcelona must start planning for the future, said Rivaldo, with him advising the LaLiga giant to find replacements for Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

The Catalunya club is in decline after failing to compete with eternal rivals, Real Madrid who emerged as champions in Spain’s top competition, while Zinedine Zidane’s squad is considered to be younger.

Barcelona’s inability to maintain its lead at the top after restarting the competition has made Messi be the one to voice his concern for the future direction of the club.

Rebuilding the squad is mandatory for all clubs to continue success, and Rivaldo had asked his former club to maneuver in the transfer market as Messi and Suarez will only play a few more years at the highest level.

“Luis Suarez is now 33 years old and his contract expires at the end of next season,” Rivaldo told Betfair.

“He can still play two or three more seasons at the highest level, but it is always a healthy thing for the club to think about who will replace him and even bring in new players if possible. The same applies to Messi.

“Squad rejuvenation is part of football and many great players who previously played for Barcelona would eventually be at that point – including me, Romario, Ronaldinho or [Diego] Maradona are a number of examples – because someday your age will start to affect [the physique].

“Players come and go but the club persists, so you must always think of new players even if you are satisfied with the current squad. That is normal for any club in the world. “

At the moment it is still doubtful whether coach Quique Setien would be given the opportunity to rebuild the Barca squad, with Rivaldo hoping for an old face to train at Camp Nou.

He added: “Xavi looks like the right manager to take Barca through a period of change as he is familiar with the club and he can work to develop young players at the club.

“He had the opportunity to take up the task before Barca contacted Setien, but he has decided that he is not ready to coach the club he loves. I’m sure he will change his mind in the near future and become the manager of Barcelona.

“I do not know whether it will happen this summer but I am sure it is in his hands to decide to remember that the Barca directors have shown interest in him.”