Former Barcelona defender Christophe Dugarry has spoken out on the extreme lengths he went to in order to avoid Louis van Gaal during their time together at the Nou Camp.
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" target="_blank">Speaking to SFR
Dugarry endured a miserable spell at the Nou Camp under Van Gaal appearing just seven times in what the 44-year-old described as a hellish experience.
Manchester United paid £8.4m to release Louis van Gaal from his contract. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/8pkgj5HW4x
A controversial figure in football, Van Gaal has been heavily criticised after a shocking stint as Manchester United saw his man management methods questioned, a factor Dugarry will not be surprised about.
I spent six months asking myself what I was doing there. It was surreal. The worst thing was when I went to his office to ask to leave.
"I had to leave at any cost, and what's more, (then-France coach Aime) Jacquet had said we had to be first-choice at our clubs on the first day of 1998 ¦ I pretended to cry, saying ˜I can't take anymore, I have to leave."
Reflecting on the experience, Dugarry sensationally statedthe Dutch manager, who spent three successful years at the Nou Camp delivering the club two La Liga trophies, challenged his player's ability openly in the changing room.
Van Gaal told me ˜in the 23rd-minute, you lost this ball. In the 48th-minute, you lost the ball again. And in the 53rd-minute, you lost another ball. Why did you do that?'And I had to answer."
After eventually sealing a move to Marseille, Dugarry went onto win the World Cup and European Championships with his country.