Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta heaps praise on incoming Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal
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Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta has heaped praise upon Louis Van Gaal ahead of the Dutchman taking the reins at Manchester United.
Iniesta, 30, played under the incoming United boss for the Barcelona B team as a youngster and despite their short time together – the now-Holland boss was there from 1997 to 2000 – the midfielder said he has a “special memory” of Van Gaal.
Asked by Barca TV whether Van Gaal was a dominant figure, Iniesta said: “Yes. He already commands respect when you are a veteran, so imagine when you have just entered the team and are young.
“But the truth is I have a special memory of him, because he is someone who is very important to me and if there was something he cared about, it was supporting the young players from the reserves.”
Van Gaal will link up with United as soon as the Netherlands complete their World Cup campaign, but the 62-year-old has wasted no time in making his mark on the Premier League club, splashing out over £50m on Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao and England youngster Luke Shaw.
