Former Barcelona player Eric Abidal claims that he has turned down an offer to join the Spanish club's backroom staff and has decided instead to accept a job offer from Olympiakos.
Abidal, 35, ended his playing career in December with Greek club Olympiakos, and told France Football that his decision to join the Greek Super League's staff was influenced by the amount of free time he would be able to dedicate to his own Foundation work.
"It's not a job where you are on call 24 hours a day. I recently visited one of Olympiakos' sponsors in Switzerland and I took advantage of that trip to do some work with my Foundation too. They have said that I only need to be in Athens four days a month which is ideal for me," the 35-year-old explained.
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu had offered Abidal the choice of two posts: one working with the club's football schools, or acting in an intermediary role between the first-team squad and the club's board of directors.
"[Lionel] Messi knows the president -- there's no need for me to go and see him on his behalf -- while the first option wouldn't leave me much time to dedicate to my Foundation work, whereas the Olympiakos job will," Abidal added.
The former defender made 125 appearances for Barcelona between 2007 and 2013, winning four La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies.
Thuram was diagnosed with a tumour on his liver in March 2011, and the following March underwent a liver transplant.
The Frenchman made his Barca playing comeback in March 2013 before moving to Monaco that summer, and then Olympiakos the following year.