How Samuel Eto’o Imposed Himself and Humbled Guardiola

@KevOb

Samuel Eto'o: "Pep had not proven anything in 2009 to come into a dressing room like that of Barca...he didn't even know the history of that dressing room to start saying certain things. What hurt me more was that he was inventing things the press was relaying. I had a discussion with him, I had a beautiful offer to play for six months in Uzbekistan for 26 million dollars, and in his office with

Txiki he told me 'Oh Samuel, it can help you, go on!' and I told him 'The person that will make you win is Eto'o' but you'll come and apologise, and then I stayed in my place and continued training.

We arrived the US (for preseason), we were in Houston and in the dressing room before the match he said 'we will swap shirt numbers!'. Everyone was like surprised.

He said 'Titi [Thierry Henry] you will take the number 9 of Samuel...and Titi was really happy (laughs) and he [Pep] continued 'Eto'o will wear number 14'. Everyone was surprised. It was total disrespect and I couldn't admit it because I had written a beautiful history even it had to end there. I had done a lot for the club on and especially off the pitch.

I was always there for all my teammates and for all the club.

They played and I was on the bench. Some days later, we played against Chivas and he had the illuck to give me 20 minutes and I think he could have shot himself in the head. In the 20 minutes, I scored three goals. We returned to New York to play against Red Bull and he sent me in and I scored three goals again.

At that point , he was obliged to call a meeting but as he never had the courage to say things to my face, he passed through my teammates. I was having dinner and the delegate Carlos Naval came and told me 'Come I have a surprise for you'. I was eager... thinking perhaps it's Beyonce waiting for me (laughs). I arrived in the suite and I saw Jorquera, ...

Puyol, Leo, Andres , Xavi and Victor Valdes who is one of my best friends. I saw Pep at the far end and my countenance changed because I was very aggressive whenever I saw him. He didn't speak. Xavi took the floor and said "Well negro, like we have always said and manifested, we want you to stay, and so you have to find common grounds with Pep.' I told him 'I don't speak to Pep.

He has to present an apology because he disrespected me openly on many occasions and I don't accept this. With me, if you don't respect me, I don't respect you. That's the law in my place. I suffered to be here, I respect everyone but if you don't respect me I don't respect you and I will do the double or triple of what you have done.'

Pep then spoke in Catalan, finding words in difficulty... We started the season and I spoke twice to Pep. One time was because he asked me to go speak to Yaya Toure who didn't want to know anything about him and another time was because he wanted to give me lessons on how a striker should move and I told him 'But Pep you were a midfielder and not a great striker.

How do I score my goals? That movement didn't have to be that way.' Again we were in training and I created space for Messi to score and Messi even scored. He said 'No no no! You rather have to ..'. I told him 'You're not normal...'

At the end of the season I scored 35 goals and the goal which permitted us to increase our lead against Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome.

We then went to La Coruña (Deportivo) and I scored two goals and then I had to leave to join Cameroon to face Togo. We had dinner with a lot of fun and then Pep said 'I want to do a toast. We have to say thank you to Samuel because it was a difficult season for him but he showed the big player he is...' It was a beautiful speech and that was the first time I trusted Guardiola.

But that got me my passport to Inter Milan (giggles).

While at Inter we met in the semis of the Champions League. He saw me in the tunnel and did not greet me in the tunnel. He waited when all the cameras were there to greet. Look at the face of Thierry Henry. It says everything. They saw the scene. We were all in the tunnel. Look at Leo Messi. See his face. We were all in the tunnel.

He didn't greet but waited when all the cameras were present to give his hand. I could not deny because as the outcast I had to remind Guardiola that he was never a great player. He was a good player..."