Deco’s Big Interview: The truth about Messi’s “return”, why Vitor Roque struggled, and Pep’s mistake with Eto’o.

Deco’s Masterclass Interview: From the pitch to the office

I’ve translated the most interesting parts of Deco’s recent 75-minute interview. He covers everything from his playing days under Mourinho and Rijkaard to his current struggles as Barça’s Sporting Director.

TL;DR / Key Takeaways:

• Pep’s Arrival: Deco admits Pep was right to move him and Ronaldinho on, but says letting Eto’o go was a mistake (which is why Samuel stayed for the Treble season).

• Vitor Roque: Deco blames the "January transfer window" and a toxic media campaign for Roque's struggles. He admits the club failed to provide enough psychological support.

• The Messi "Return": Deco is very blunt here—he says a Messi return was never actually on the table or discussed internally since he took office. It was mostly social media noise.

• Cristiano vs. Ronaldinho: He calls Ronaldinho the most gifted player he’s ever seen, but says Cristiano’s "obsession" with improvement is unmatched in history.

• Mourinho: Describes 2004 Mourinho as a "revolutionary" who changed the mental DNA of Portuguese football.

FULL INTERVIEW TRANSLATION (Highlights)

On Pep Guardiola’s arrival in 2008:

"With Eto’o, it was a mistake. Samuel stayed and ended up being crucial. On my position, we had Iniesta, Xavi, Yaya Toure, and Busquets was breaking through… the change was logical. Ronaldinho’s situation was tough because, well, it’s Ronaldinho. But we had Messi and Henry. Pep is one of the best, and even though I didn't work under him, the transition was natural. If I were the club, I would have made the same decision."

On the Vitor Roque "failure":

"Several things didn't help Vitor. Joining in January is bad for any player, and he was coming off an injury. Then a media campaign started attacking the signings, and Vitor became a victim of it. I think we lacked the ability to help him more, to understand if he had psychological issues. He has talent. Maybe our timing was wrong, but I hate the 'failed' label. He’s a great kid."

On Jose Mourinho at Porto:

"Mourinho was a revolutionary. Back then, we didn't have all these analysts. His tactical vision of what would happen in a match was something I had never seen. He changed the mentality in Portugal—from 'just participating' to 'winning'. He was the one who changed the concept of Portuguese football on the European stage."

On Ronaldinho vs. Cristiano Ronaldo:

"Technically, I’ve seen no one better than Ronaldinho. He was impressive both as a teammate and an opponent. But Cristiano… there is no other player with his psychology. He was the most obsessed person with self-evolution I’ve ever met. That trait made him one of the greatest in history."

On Messi returning to Barça:

"It’s a complex topic. His name was used a lot during the elections. We all wish football was eternal, but things end. Speculating about it doesn't make much sense. To be honest, since I’ve been here, a return was never on the agenda. There were no calls from Leo or his camp saying 'I want to come back.' It was mostly rumors."

On his future as Sporting Director:

"It's hard to make long-term plans. My family is the most important thing. We have a five-year mandate, but I have to work well every year to stay. I wouldn't say 'no' to working in Brazil in the future, but right now, I'm fully focused on the project here."

Source: ge / Abre Aspas — Deco explica saída do Barcelona na chegada de Guardiola e diz que viu Felipão “sozinho” no Chelsea

What do you guys think? Is Deco right about Vitor Roque being a "victim of the media," or is he just protecting his own signings?