It was the shock transfer saga of the summer that came to an unsatisfactory conclusion when Lionel Messi threatened to quit Barcelona before reluctantly staying put.
And now an interview on Catalonian radio show 'Que T'hi Jugues' has laid bare the relationship between the iconic number 10 and former manager Quique Setien.
During a water break in the club's 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo that handed Real Madrid the advantage in a tight title race, Messi objected to instructions handed to his team-mates by the manager.
The now-departed boss then told Messi: "If you don't like what I say, there's the door."
Argentinian legend Messi did not reply to the coach and simply smiled back.
Setien would stay on at the end of the La Liga season, but took charge of just three more games as an 8-2 hammering to Bayern Munich in the Champions League proved to be the end of the road.
He told El Pais: "Messi is difficult to manage, but who am I to change him? He's very reserved but he makes you see the things that he wants. He doesn't talk much, but he looks."
