I just don't understand the criticism, if anything he's taking a far bigger risk leaving Barcelona than by staying. People accusing him of leaving when the going gets tough, it's not as if Barcelona's just started struggling recently, it's been a steady decline for at least 4-5 years now and he's been the main reason it hasn't completely imploded until this season. Who would want to waste their last few years at the top for a club as badly managed as Barcelona? It's a shamble of an organization, and I don't think a new president will change that over-night. He doesn't owe Barcelona, or any football fan for that matter, anything. He's, for me, the greatest player I've ever seen and I'm surprised and excited that he's potentially willing to take a big risk moving to a different league at this stage of his career. If it's City, even better, so it can shut these arrogant PL fans who think the league is some kind of challenge for players like that.
Lionel Messi
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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From his pov there's nothing to explain, at least not yet. His contract gives him the option to terminate it. He has taken that option.
Even legally, I don't think he should be making any comments until things are cleared up.
Both Barca and Messi deserve each other. Hope it is a long painful saga and afterwards he just stays at Barca.
Also hope that whatever happens some annoying Barca fans here (aka Pep fanboys as long as he is at City) just stop talking nonsense here and post on Bluemoon or wherever instead.
They can create a United thread there just for the Barca fans or join the City posters on any other thread and as long as they write nonsense about United and keep praising City all will be good.
Also hope that whatever happens some annoying Barca fans here (aka Pep fanboys as long as he is at City) just stop talking nonsense here and post on Bluemoon or wherever instead.
They can create a United thread there just for the Barca fans or join the City posters on any other thread and as long as they write nonsense about United and keep praising City all will be good.
Because Barca are a mess and he wants out. He cant say hes going to City because only they, and PSG, can afford him.
Theres a difference between wanting out of this shit fire and wanting a move to win the CL because there is nothing in City that has shown that they can. He has to say he wants CL success or it loojs as if hes leaving a sinking ship that hes bailing on, abandoning the fans.
We cant suddenly lie and pretend City are a European powerhouse just because it ties into Messis narrative.
Apparently according to Tancredi Palmetto:
Manchester City would be ready to pay 500m€ after taxes to Messi in 5 years!
Messi would earn 50m€ per year +a staggering 250m€ bonus after 3 years moving to New York City in last 2 years. No FFP issues since he will be earning most of the money in New York
Manchester City would be ready to pay 500m€ after taxes to Messi in 5 years!
Messi would earn 50m€ per year +a staggering 250m€ bonus after 3 years moving to New York City in last 2 years. No FFP issues since he will be earning most of the money in New York
What year did Messi become Barca captain?
Madrid were brushed aside by City and joining them is out of the question obviously. I see Liverpool being in a similar position to City in terms of winning the CL at the moment. They've shown vulnerabilities in the past 6 months. City have the advantage of being able to strengthen any positions needed without worrying about money and there's the Guardiola connection.
Full time after Iniesta left
Are you a Utd fan?? Because, if yes, then it is a weird sentiment to have.
Looks like Messis biggest hope for a statue will be outside of EtihadTweet
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I don’t know if this video has been shared anywhere already but I’m in hystericsIncredible stuff.
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Ronaldo went to the biggest club in England, the biggest club in Spain, and then the biggest club in Italy. Absolute mercenary no matter what mental gymnastics you opt for.
As for Messi, why hold a player against his will? Let him leave, let the team rebuild.
Messi only “retired” once not twice, and didn’t miss any games for it, poor judgement from him. But without him Argentina don’t qualify for a World Cup anyway.
But City havent strengthened weak positions. Hell they have been trying to do that for years now.
City in CL have been judged on what ifs for too long now. We have seen and know what they are. Its not just the squad that needs adjustment but management as well.
Also tad unfair on Liverpool. 2 CL finals in a row and actually winning it last year.
Despite whatever shenanigans Juve may be up to, you are off your rockers if you are going to argue that City are somehow more of. a prestigious club to join. As far as CL is concerned, Juve did reach a final some time ago something City has not managed despite Pep spending big.
When did I ever say city were more prestigious than Juventus? Juventus have had their share of stains as well. Obviously they’re a big club
How does that make him a mercenary? He stayed at united for years, real for years and now he will probably be at Juve for a while.
Moved club 3 times in a 15 year+ career and a mercenary? I hope you never changed jobs before, be terrible if you were a mercenary!
Ronaldo bounced because of one thing = money.
And that’s totally fine, he’s earned it, but in regards to Messi he stuck with this team his entire career. When they lost 7-0 aggregate to Bayern, and CL humiliation after humiliation. People need to understand this Current board has zero plan. It’s run by clowns. The fact that puyol of all people, one of the biggest Barca legends ever is applauding Messi for trying to leave, and that Xavi didn’t want to come near the club right now shows how toxic the board is. This isn’t Messi leaving because things are tough. This a guy who was always on an island carrying this team time and time again. He’s 33, it’s time to play in a team with an actual proper manager and squad. I just want him to leave now and wish him well so we can focus on rebuilding the squad. This drama isn’t helping anyone
Who shared the details of that conversation? Embarrassing for all involved.
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Might actually throw up the day this becomes official
I like United a lot, more so than City, but I wouldn't call myself a fan of the club as I'm not bothered one way or another if Messi goes to City or elsewhere, but I can understand why it'd be a problem for some here and how it would be a weird sentiment.
Ah okay. If you don't support Utd, then I can understand where you're coming from. As a Utd fan though, I hope he doesn't come anywhere near England if he's leaving Barca.
Ronaldo moving from United to Real was more of his obsession to play for Real than the money. The Juve transfer again seemed like a move to look for something new after winning 4 UCL's there. Even Real didn't really seem to stand in his way since he was going out on a high and they were going to start the rebuild. They still have quality senior players around with Ramos, Modric, Kroos around to smoothen the transition.You can see how they've signed a bunch of younger players now to build for the future too. Contrast that to Barca now, they need a rebuild and are desperately looking for senior players with quality to stick around while they try to replace the ones who are past it and the one who is supposed to be their leader decides to move on? That's the very definition of a mercenary. "I'm going to be around when things are going well but will walk the minute I don't get my way"
Your point about how he stuck with the club in the past is correct but I would say that the situation was very different back then. The managers who were around pretty much ensured messi got his way. A couple of them (martino comes to mind) seemed like messi picks. Yes, the board has been a mess in the past but there really didn't seem to be any direct conflict with messi in what they did. They continued signing players for huge sums and giving messi bigger contracts. Like I said, nothing that the board did seemed to go against what messi wanted for the club. A 7-0 over 2 legs isn't as bad as an 8-2 demolition. Bartomeu is running the club to the ground but Koeman seemed a decent choice to take the club forward specially with this new fad of former players starting to fix clubs. Obviously tough decisions would have to be made and the first one was culling Suarez. Days later, messi wants to leave? Doesn't this seem an awful lot like someone throwing his toys out of the pram?
I understand how he's fed up but you'd think that he would show some loyalty to the club that stood by him during the tax fraud years, has let him have a huge say in how the club is run and has developed him into one of the greatest of all times when they need him the most. That's why there's an argument that he's not far off from being a mercenary.
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Anywhere in England though, or just City/Liverpool? What if he came to United? Wouldn't it be a huge advantage for the PL to have a player like that playing in England?
Anywhere in England. I don't think it's at all realistic that Utd will sign him. Realistically City are the only ones who could sign him and that would only widen the gap already existing between us and them. Even if he goes to any other club it'd make them favourites for the title for at least the next couple of years, further lowering Utd's chances.
I really don't care about the PL as a whole, just Man Utd, so I really don't want him anywhere near this country.
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Don’t understand people who say they don’t support any club. It’s way more fun when you do!
anyway as you please. Personally i think Messi would wish he had joined United if he joines city. United is the biggest club in the world and he would also have the challenge of bringing us back to the very top - which he could do
at city he would just be the replacement for silva and not anything new as he would be back under Guardiola who seems tired mentally
Either way it looks difficult for him to leave and I can see him staying at Barca
anyway as you please. Personally i think Messi would wish he had joined United if he joines city. United is the biggest club in the world and he would also have the challenge of bringing us back to the very top - which he could do
at city he would just be the replacement for silva and not anything new as he would be back under Guardiola who seems tired mentally
Either way it looks difficult for him to leave and I can see him staying at Barca
What a sour end to his Barca career. La Liga will suffer with no Messi too.
Which is why la liga are doing their best to prevent it from happening
He can’t leave for free!
to be honest I don’t think he will leave
how can anyone pay 500-700 million within fair play rules - city just got out of jail so they can’t do it - surely!
He can’t leave for free!
to be honest I don’t think he will leave
how can anyone pay 500-700 million within fair play rules - city just got out of jail so they can’t do it - surely!
Regardless of where anyone stands on this, one thing is for sure, this is very entertaining to follow, along with the reactions to it. It would be a pretty anti-climactic end if he does wind up staying at Barcelona, which is probably the likeliest outcome.
Yip that's why La Liga probably released that statement. Didn't La Liga have a similar meltdown when Neymar left?
Yes. Messi stuck with barcelona for his own reasons. 400 millions of reasons, to be exact(and he wants out now after raking in 300 millions of those)
Nope. He left because he wanted a new 4 years 30m euros a year after tax contract, a year after signing a new 4 years, 22m after tax contract, and we refused. The big difference was he made that decision earlier than Messi and so was able to negotiate a gentleman's agreement to leave for a fixed price
I vaguely remember that, I believe they attempted to block it.
Messi, the captain, bounced after his team got humiliated in one of worst ways imaginable. Some guy.
Wheels are flying off
Even funnier when Vidal is talking nonsense.
Vidal is correct. The small, technical players are getting overrun by the powerful technical players
shocking bollocks from them all, last thing I want is to see him at City but the release part of the contract is clearly designed to be at the end of the season.
To try fecking him over here after everything he has given them is typical of the cnutish “more than a club” they are.
Part about DNA is too funny. Will rile up Barca fans. Feck them to be honest. All are flocking now towards Mancity.
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