Former Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman admits he didn't expect Lionel Messi to leave last year.

Koeman was in charge of Barca as Messi was allowed to come off contract by the newly elected president Joan Laporta.

He told Marca: "Until the very last moment, I thought Messi would stay.

"When I saw that in the end, he was leaving, I was as devastated as everyone else. You lose the best in the world and, the 35+ goals that were guaranteed each season... You are forced to go out and look for them, it was very difficult.

"Messi is always part of a team. You have to put him in his place and give him a tactical system in which he can shine. He's the best in the world, he's the captain and Argentina, like the Netherlands, have to improve to go far. But Leo is always capable of changing the game in an instant."