The day Quique Setien met Messi

Quique Setien and Lionel Messi crossing paths was destiny.

The pair will work together at Barcelona after the former replaced Ernesto Valverde as first team coach.

The first time Setien met Messi was during a Barcelona training session when Pep Guardiola was in charge.

"One day, invited by Guardiola, I had the opportunity to watch Messi train from the side of the pitch," Setien told El Pais.

"I went up to him and I asked him to keep playing until I was 60 years old, at least until I die."

Another time Setien and Messi happened to come across each other was when Barcelona visited Las Palmas in 2016.

Neymar was the star as the Blaugrana won 4-1 at the Estadio de Gran Canaria, but Setien knew who to pay the most attention to.

He and Messi shared a hugs and a chat on the pitch before they walked down the tunnel together afterwards.