Abidal on Messi's words: Issues should be solved internally, not through media

Eric Abidal's recent feud with Lionel Messi caused a big stir at Barcelona, but the Frenchman has acknowledged that team issues shouldn't be made public.

The Catalan side's sporting director was clear that he had learned his lesson after the controversy that followed his remarks about the players.

"If I know and I have learned something it's that the internal issues are arranged internally and not in the media," he said during Martin Braithwaite's presentation.

"From here we will see."

Barcelona have been criticised for their transfer planning this season, but Abidal stressed that people should focus on the quality of the actual squad rather than the number of the available players.

"First, you have to make decisions," he noted.

"You can talk about a small squad, but there are injured players.

"If [Ousmane] Dembele wasn't injured, we wouldn't be here.

"We can't control [Carles] Alena because he wanted to be loaned out, just like other players, and always after speaking with the coach.

"I don't talk about the number of players; the important thing is their quality."

Abidal broke down Braithwaite's characteristics that made the club trigger his buyout clause and sign him from Leganes.

"He has a lot of experience," he added

"He is a different forward than [the ones] we have.

"He has character, speed and is strong.

"He will give us strength against big teams and his potential is very big.

"We are very confident in his talent, he will be decisive for us, although he can only play in the league.

"Hopefully we can compete at the highest level."