Messi is no Legend ???

Photo credit - "File:Lionel Messi, Player of FC Barcelona team.JPG" by Lionel Messi Player of the Year 2011.jpg: Christopher Johnson (https://www.flickr.com/people/42774464@N03) derivative work: CHUCAO is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The last week or so has been probably most unexpected in Barcelona's history since a long time. I personally thought Messi would not think of leaving this rotting system as he's been in it for sometime now, lived with it, even defended it at least in public forums, and I thought the main reason for him not to look beyond Catalunya is personal, coming from his and his families comfortable settlement in Barcelona. But boy did Messi take a stand. 

Since PSG debacle, it was clear that our midfield needed refresh. By the time we reached Pool, we needed refresh all across the field. The board started with a team which was at its pinnacle. Any board worth its salt could have used the thriving sporting success to keep revamping the squad while also keeping the books on green. As green as they go in big footballing clubs worldwide. However, the current board could never really make necessary changes. The board and the line of managers  selected by it kept using the same group of players. At the same time re-enforcing in them that they are irreplaceable and without any competition. Even the lucky Luis Enrique was no exception to this. There is no doubt that Messi has probably been badly coached/ managed by both Argentina and Barcelona since Pep. And Messi has not helped by not influencing the right changes needed around him. 

So what changed now? This is my take, being a amateur soccer player myself. Of course, till Liverpool second game, Messi might not have thought of moving. But post Pool game, I think he must have already been thinking if we are not going to cut it any more, I have to look out to ensure I can achieve more. Messi is a fierce competitor who hates losing anything including practice drills. This season showed that Barcelona went way down south in terms of squad quality, depth, management, sporting vision, scouting agility etc. These were all degrading over the years, but this year the cracks came out in the open. Most of the loved ex players have also over the recent times hinted at the rot inside the power corridors of this still great institution. So, Messi doesn't see that the team can turn around things quickly enough for his last couple of years to taste success at the greatest level. Secondly, many pundits have wondered if Messi can cut it outside La Liga. I think Messi saw this as an opportunity to do something about that. Of course, these sceptics stand on very slimy ground as Messi has devastated the very best of every League in their prime often times in Champions League. The third important reason is that Manchester city has had a project for sometime now. The entire sporting team from the CEO, sporting director and the coach have been given full support and they have delivered. These are the same people who were part of the sextuple. It helps Messi to adjust to the potential cultural adjustments he will have to make in Manchester, UK. Going by fan's comments, apparently Man city does a great job of supporting families and dependants of players. Messi gave many chances to FCB and to himself in Barcelona for maybe a final grasp on the trophy with long ears. However, he realises strikes are out now. It is time to go beyond shores and be part of a ambitious and clear sporting project. 

Let me also analyse this from the lens of people who think Messi should stick with Barcelona. What has the club done since the Bayern defeat. It was always going to be very tricky to make changes too soon in Covid infested economy. However, the team is not even able to attract quality free agents. Mr Bartomeu vehemently announced a cleanup with clear names followed by little battered down similar claims by Koeman. However, so far nothing has changed. Even if Messi is embarrassingly forced to remain with the team this season, the team is set for failure this season. This is unfair to say for the likes of Pedro, Trincao, Griezmann, Dembele, Ansu, De Jong. However, one look at the core team and it is pretty much a foregone conclusion. On top of that, so far there seems to be more hostility with the big egos in the team, who still do not have any clearly known buyers. This is not a sporting project that Messi can carry as a lone player any more. And he knows it. He wants to win titles and he wants to bet on a team and sporting project that gives more credence based on it's vision and direction.

Finally, is Messi being ungrateful to the club? If a Barcelona fan hasn't been blind, deaf or dumb since mid 2000s, they would know that there are probably very few, if any players who have served their team better than Messi has served Barcelona. If you are still in doubt, there are many statistics around the social media and more genuine sporting websites to see his impact - sporting wise, economically, brand wise and for the game overall. He owes nothing. As for his contract, I had a subject on law in my uni. My lecturer used to always say that law is there to upheld the spirit of the agreement by putting in letters. In this case, the contract's spirit was indeed related to end of season, irrespective of whatever is the real wordings - which I don't have more exposure to. And all the parties including media and fans know that. Thinking purely from a ethical point of view, every professional sportsman and in deed every professional in any field has the right to decide if he needs a change for himself to push his own boundaries. Bartomeu has mistreated a phenom and he has done nothing in that office to deserve to do so. If he was still keen on progressing the team this year, he should talk rationally with Messi's entourage. Strike up a deal and focus energy on the new squad which is crying for change very quickly. Losing Messi is not going to tarnish his image as much as creating the worst media and legal circus in the history of sports.   

Very few can argue that Messi is indeed the greatest of all time. He is a talent, rare to find in any sports. Not only does he have a great footballing brain, he has the most lethal finish, most audacious dribbler. Despite Barcelona not winning any silverware this year, Messi still leads most of the charts across leading leagues. The number of ways Messi can score a goal is unmatched and hard to imitate in practice let alone in elite professional matches. His consistency and ability to shrug off challenges is something the world has never seen in the way he does it. Messi is the greatest legend of the game and as long as he plays by the legal books, he will not lose an ounce of respect from me.