Lionel Messi

[arthurka]

with the 5 year £630m wage contract, we could build a new stadium!

Spuds paid 1bn for theirs this won't be far off.

 

[LoneStar]

I imagine given the complexity of the case, his lawyers might have advised against making a public statement that could potentially be used in court in case it gets to that.

From the current reports Barca are being stubborn and are not even interested in speaking with Messi's dad about negotiating an exit. Surely it would be better to sell a 33 year old discontented player for a 50-100m than keep him specially given the wages he's on and how influential he is in the dressing room.

Yeah that’s the most likely scenario. But even then, I think he could have spoken a bit re the situation.

Im not sure about Barca's stand here. Do they want him to stay or do they want more money for him? If it’s the latter, I can understand. Yes, he’s their greatest player ever, but he had to leave or retire at some point. And if they get a chance to clean up their wage structure, this is the best chance.

 

[Banana Republic]

I can imagine one or two Barca directors or senior figures will end up pushing for a compromise transfer deal with City.
Bulging wallets and all that jazz. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

 

[Daysleeper]

Because he is not a team player. That whole barca team is based around him and it needs to be because their current crop of players are shocking for how much their wage bill is. His lethargic and slow play in the last 12 months will not help him in the premier league and it was shown up in europe. That is why he's not worth the risk.

Also, Scholes and Giggs at those ages were not the main players. They were supporting cast.

yes, a guy who broke the all time assist record this past season with the most dysfunctional Barca team is not a team player. Wow

 

[Daysleeper]

Yeah that’s the most likely scenario. But even then, I think he could have spoken a bit re the situation.

Im not sure about Barca's stand here. Do they want him to stay or do they want more money for him? If it’s the latter, I can understand. Yes, he’s their greatest player ever, but he had to leave or retire at some point. And if they get a chance to clean up their wage structure, this is the best chance.

sorry that I keep chiming in, but to be honest I think it’s a lot of posturing. Barto needs to erase the debt Barca have or he has to pay for a big percentage of it himself by the time of the new election in March (he can’t run again thankfully). He needs to put on a facade that he fought tooth and nail to keep Messi. The club is struggling to get transfer fees for rakitic and Suarez and perhaps Vidal as well. Messi alone would get him out of the red. I think deep down he wants to get rid of Messi, it’s a toxic board. Messi is fed up at how poorly the club is run and what it has become now.
So Barto will keep pretending to want Messi back publicly but tomorrow he and Messi’s dad (his agent) meet and that will get the ball rolling for his exit.

 

[sammsky1]

yes, a guy who broke the all time assist record this past season with the most dysfunctional Barca team is not a team player. Wow

Messi works incredibly hard for his team, and players around him can benefit because of that.
But you cant doubt that a team has to be built all around him. Especially in this latter stage of his career where he is alot more strategic in how much running and defensive contribution he can make.

 

[Daysleeper]

Messi works incredibly hard for his team, and players around him can benefit because of that.
But you cant doubt that a team has to be built all around him. Especially in this latter stage of his career where he is alot more strategic in how much running and defensive contribution he can make.

except the team is built around him because the they depend on him more than he would want. Look at how poorly his teammates have fared in CL while Barca had multiple seasons where own goal was their second leading scorer.

May City they aren’t going to reinvent the wheel for him. They’re a talented team, not a one man show. Messi won’t have as much of a usage rate as he did at Barca. the team wasn’t even built around him (in recent years he’s rarely gotten new complimentary teammates for his skill set) as much as needed him to bail them out because they hardly had anyone else this past season outside of Suarez sometimes to score. Thats the biggest reason Messi wants to leave on top of the toxic board. He’s being relied on far too much for a 33 year old. Even he knows that.

 

[SplitzMagic]

Don't you just feel sorry for Pjanic

He must have been buzzing all summer ready to say he played with both Ronaldo and Messi and now this happens

He must be gutted!

Next up is getting rid of Griezmanns 880k pw deal.

Comedy club but let's try and take Fati away whilst all this is going on with Messi.

 

[mariachi-19]

Messi works incredibly hard for his team, and players around him can benefit because of that.
But you cant doubt that a team has to be built all around him. Especially in this latter stage of his career where he is alot more strategic in how much running and defensive contribution he can make.

Strategic or lazy? He absolutely fecked Barcelona against Bayern. A strategic player would have looked at what was happening and changed how he was playing. He literally gave up and didnt give two fecks.

 

[mariachi-19]

Messi won't necessarily be forced to be the main guy and put the team on his back though, they've won titles with their current core as it is. They've got enough talent around him to carry their own weight.

The not being a team player stuff is crazy to hear when he's coming off a season where he broke the league record for assists

He's been the best playmaker in the world for over a decade. He's also won most of his European titles when he wasn't the unquestioned leader and the gameplan wasn't centered around him so he can definitely have success as a contributor as well.

He has at least 2-3 seasons as a top 5 player in the world and a further couple of years as a quality supporting player if he chooses in my opinion

Getting assists doesn't make you a team player ffs. Look at Ozil. Furthest thing from a team player in football and this idea that making assists or scoring goals makes you a team player is stupid. A team player is somebody who is willing to sacrifice some of his own success for the good of the team. Messi is currently crippling Barcelona's wage structure while walking around the pitch. His demands on and off the pitch despite padding his own stats, have lead to Barcelona having their worst year in 12 years and looking on the brink of complete and utter meltdown. You can feck off with "Messi is a team player because he got x amount of assists" bullshit.

Rooney during 07/08 was the ultimate team player. He literally ran himself into the ground despite being a world class player for Ronaldo. His stats were not bad, but he certainly could have had better stats if he was allowed to play in his preferred positions.

 

[sammsky1]

Getting assists doesn't make you a team player ffs. Look at Ozil. Furthest thing from a team player in football and this idea that making assists or scoring goals makes you a team player is stupid. A team player is somebody who is willing to sacrifice some of his own success for the good of the team. Messi is currently crippling Barcelona's wage structure while walking around the pitch. His demands on and off the pitch despite padding his own stats, have lead to Barcelona having their worst year in 12 years and looking on the brink of complete and utter meltdown. You can feck off with "Messi is a team player because he got x amount of assists" bullshit.

Rooney during 07/08 was the ultimate team player. He literally ran himself into the ground despite being a world class player for Ronaldo. His stats were not bad, but he certainly could have had better stats if he was allowed to play in his preferred positions.

If City buy him, let’s hope it implodes into a Sanchez scenario!

agree with you on Rooney.

 

[Daysleeper]

Getting assists doesn't make you a team player ffs. Look at Ozil. Furthest thing from a team player in football and this idea that making assists or scoring goals makes you a team player is stupid. A team player is somebody who is willing to sacrifice some of his own success for the good of the team. Messi is currently crippling Barcelona's wage structure while walking around the pitch. His demands on and off the pitch despite padding his own stats, have lead to Barcelona having their worst year in 12 years and looking on the brink of complete and utter meltdown. You can feck off with "Messi is a team player because he got x amount of assists" bullshit.

Rooney during 07/08 was the ultimate team player. He literally ran himself into the ground despite being a world class player for Ronaldo. His stats were not bad, but he certainly could have had better stats if he was allowed to play in his preferred positions.

absolutr rubbish. Messi has had done more for Barcelona on the pitch non regaeds to his goals/assists contribution than any other player in the world. just because he doesn’t track back at this age (and he was a better team player than Rooney in his earlier 2011 days) doesn’t mean he’s not a team player. He gives away penalties to other teammates when they’re struggling, and always always says he prefers to assist than to score. He is absolutely a team player, your bizarre hatred makes you spout nonsense.

 

[TheLord]

I can't believe the number of times the GOAT is compared with Alexis Sanchez, who was no more than a three/four-season goodish player.
City will walk the league next season if they manage to pull off this tricky transfer and keep Messi fit for the crucial matches.


But there were also many people who were convinced Ryan Babel would be as good as Cristiano Ronaldo - so no surprises!

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I can't believe the number of times the GOAT is compared with Alexis Sanchez, who was no more than a three/four-season goodish player.
City will walk the league next season if they manage to pull off this tricky transfer and keep Messi fit for the crucial matches.

That will also depend on their defence. If they defend poorly they'll probably come 2nd no matter what Messi does. It's a team sport and the team has to perform in all aspects of the game.

 

[LucasXXII]

The not being a team player stuff is crazy to hear when he's coming off a season where he broke the league record for assists

This is such a simplistic view on football...

Messi breaking the assists record had everything to do with the fact that he has an unprecedented privilege to have the ball as long as he wants. The latter is the definition of "not a team player", where Messi wanders with the ball while his teammates jog around and wait for a final pass. How can a team that press and attack the space as a cohesive unit play like that?

 

[DarkLord]

His goals and assists stats are insane, although, there are a few question marks over what his motivation will be like in another team. If it is a case of turning out for the highest bidder and trotting about like a mascot for a season, while completely decimating the wagebill structure, then I would rather stick with bringing in youthful talent, who are ambitious, rather than a pre-retirement pay out like Alexis Sanchez. If he came to us, then Bruno is pushed out. If he goes to City, then DeBruyne is out. And Foden doesn't get a look in. And his wages will piss everyone off, like what also happened with Sanchez. Messi at 33 is a big gamble. Talk of a 5 year contract worth 500 million is actually obscene. He could be injured for most of it.

Don't think any of Ronaldo's team mates at Juve are jealous with his wages. Big difference with Sanchez and Messi, we're talking about a GOAT player. His arrival at any club will lift the entire team up, it would be a privilege to play with him. His wages wouldn't upset them off. More likely it's the entire team would now revolve around him so Pep has to sacrifice some younger players like Foden as you said.

 

[Daysleeper]

This is such a simplistic view on football...

Messi breaking the assists record had everything to do with the fact that he has an unprecedented privilege to have the ball as long as he wants. The latter is the definition of "not a team player", where Messi wanders with the ball while his teammates jog around and wait for a final pass. How can a team that press and attack the space as a cohesive unit play like that?

bs, he has to do it by necessity not by design. I can’t believe this is even a discussion for some people that he isn’t “a team player”. Mind boggling.

 

[TheLord]

That will also depend on their defence. If they defend poorly they'll probably come 2nd no matter what Messi does. It's a team sport and the team has to perform in all aspects of the game.

Agreed, defence is very important.

But what many conveniently ignore is that if a team keeps attacking, keeps the pressure up, and scores a lot of goals, it offsets the defensive frailties. We've had many 'top heavy' sides winning major trophies. It is also true the other way round; an extremely good defensive side wins more matches, simply by defending well. The first Mourinho Chelsea side was a prime example. They never conceded, never lost.

It is difficult to assemble a side that has 11 superstars, as Pep did with Barcelona.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

This is such a simplistic view on football...

Messi breaking the assists record had everything to do with the fact that he has an unprecedented privilege to have the ball as long as he wants. The latter is the definition of "not a team player", where Messi wanders with the ball while his teammates jog around and wait for a final pass. How can a team that press and attack the space as a cohesive unit play like that?

Interesting. And I thought it was due to the fact that he's the best player of this era who is incrediblely creative. So Barcelona should have ensured he saw less of the ball so that he gets less assists. Gotcha.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Agreed, defence is very important.

But what many conveniently ignore is that if a team keeps attacking, keeps the pressure up, and scores a lot of goals, it offsets the defensive frailties. We've had many 'top heavy' sides winning major trophies. It is also true the other way round; an extremely good defensive side wins more matches, simply by defending well. The first Mourinho Chelsea side was a prime example. They never conceded, never lost.

It is difficult to assemble a side that has 11 superstars, as Pep did with Barcelona.

Don't disagree. But the defence has to perform well, even if they aren't outstanding. If they're going to be fragile with teams feeling they score every game then they can have both Messi and Ronaldo and it won't win them the league. Especially if Liverpool again rack up 90 plus points.

 

[Florida Man]

Interesting. And I thought it was due to the fact that he's the best player of this era who is incrediblely creative. So Barcelona should have ensured he saw less of the ball so that he gets less assists. Gotcha.

 

[Daysleeper]

Interesting. And I thought it was due to the fact that he's the best player of this era who is incrediblely creative. So Barcelona should have ensured he saw less of the ball so that he gets less assists. Gotcha.

Hahahaha this was brilliant

 

[Isotope]

Don't think any of Ronaldo's team mates at Juve are jealous with his wages. Big difference with Sanchez and Messi, we're talking about a GOAT player. His arrival at any club will lift the entire team up, it would be a privilege to play with him. His wages wouldn't upset them off. More likely it's the entire team would now revolve around him so Pep has to sacrifice some younger players like Foden as you said.

Good luck with that. If one of your teammates is making 1m/wk, other player agents would try at least getting half of that. Especially if Messi wouldn't be the only star in that team.

 

[mariachi-19]

absolutr rubbish. Messi has had done more for Barcelona on the pitch non regaeds to his goals/assists contribution than any other player in the world. just because he doesn’t track back at this age (and he was a better team player than Rooney in his earlier 2011 days) doesn’t mean he’s not a team player. He gives away penalties to other teammates when they’re struggling, and always always says he prefers to assist than to score. He is absolutely a team player, your bizarre hatred makes you spout nonsense.

Or maybe he’s just a bit shit at penalties... again, you still don’t seem to comprehend the idea of what a team player is. It’s both on off the field.

No, im just calling it how it is and when you consider the teams that are interested in signing him, it speaks volumes of his actual worth (note that it is teams still trying to strike validity in football). If any big team could see a financial and performance value from Messi, they’d be all fecking over him, United, Bayern and Real included. But the reality is he’s not not getting younger, his wage demands are a joke for a player of his age and you have to build a team around him that makes up for his laziness in getting up and down the pitch.

You can crap on as much as you like, but Barca have spent a boat load of money on creative players and none of them can play with him. He’s still demanded to be the focal point of everything Barca do despite his age and those chickens have now come home to roost. Blame managers all you want, but his player power leaves most managers in the position that if they piss him off, they are out the door.

Barca seemed to have done a deal with the devil and now they’ll pay the price for it.

 

[mariachi-19]

Interesting. And I thought it was due to the fact that he's the best player of this era who is incrediblely creative. So Barcelona should have ensured he saw less of the ball so that he gets less assists. Gotcha.

Sorry, but that is a simplistic way to look at tactics.

You need only to look at the impotence of key attacking players that Barca have brought in to purportedly “compliment messi” to see how much that hasn’t worked.

If a player scores 20 goals and 25 assists, At the sacrifice of two other players only getting 10 goals and 15 assists each, is that better than each of them getting 15 goals and 20 assists

Quick maths:
scenario 1: 40 goals and 55 assists
Scenario 2: 45 goals and 60 assists

That’s an improvement anyway you look at it and currently Barca have 250 million euro in talent wasting away because they cannot play with Messi.

 

[Nicolarra90]

I don't mind about Messi as long as we're getting Sancho. I don't think he's going to be such a massive improvement as many think. A great player but a bit of a quitter and really spoiled. Too many tantrums. And there's always the fact that many southamericans can't cope with the weather and English lifestyle. Those may be little things but at 20es you can adapt, at 33 with a wife and kids used to live in a certain way, I don't think it's going to be that simple.

And that's not even taking into account the destruction of the wage structure and the shift of the spotlight from current players, and that cound damage some egos if they are not mature enough.

And finally, if it's a massive success then great, because i think it's unlikely that we are able to compete for the PL this season and someone has to stop lpool.

 

[Redplane]

Already kinda tired about this one. Pompous statements coming out his camp just feels like whining now. Just fkin announce you re going to City already so we can all move on, especially Barca fans I would think.

 

[Daysleeper]

Or maybe he’s just a bit shit at penalties... again, you still don’t seem to comprehend the idea of what a team player is. It’s both on off the field.

No, im just calling it how it is and when you consider the teams that are interested in signing him, it speaks volumes of his actual worth (note that it is teams still trying to strike validity in football). If any big team could see a financial and performance value from Messi, they’d be all fecking over him, United, Bayern and Real included. But the reality is he’s not not getting younger, his wage demands are a joke for a player of his age and you have to build a team around him that makes up for his laziness in getting up and down the pitch.

You can crap on as much as you like, but Barca have spent a boat load of money on creative players and none of them can play with him. He’s still demanded to be the focal point of everything Barca do despite his age and those chickens have now come home to roost. Blame managers all you want, but his player power leaves most managers in the position that if they piss him off, they are out the door.

Barca seemed to have done a deal with the devil and now they’ll pay the price for it.

you’re way off. Madrid and united aren’t going for him because his salary would be very high. With FFP only very few teams could pay those wages. City are offering 700M apparently.

And he’s absolutely a team player, he’s changed position a few times in regards to where he plays on the pitch as the team changed. Did it to accommodate Suarez when he first came by. And Messi is an above average penalty taker. You’ve barely seen him in years and just spouting nonsense. He’s scored 12 of his last 14.

and coutinho couldn’t cut it at Bayern, is that Messi’s fault too? griezmann plays in the same spot as Messi. Should Messi play as champions then? messi is the most creative player in the world and constantly looking to pass the ball when he can. The problem isn’t Messi, it’s the poor purchases from the board for the wrong types of players. Again, you are way off the mark here.

 

[tenpoless]

I don't want him at United but I want to see him play with Lingard.

Greatest of all time + Greatest meme of all time playing together would be the greatest show of all time. It will be Mi Amigo Sanchez all over again, a young talented player gets the chance to befriend a world class professional football player, which leads to Messi remembering why he loves football.

 

[LucasXXII]

Interesting. And I thought it was due to the fact that he's the best player of this era who is incrediblely creative. So Barcelona should have ensured he saw less of the ball so that he gets less assists. Gotcha.

Of course he's one of the best in the world at playing the final pass. The problem is not that he's not good enough but that everything must revolve around him when he's on field.

Remember Barcelona and Messi's aim is to be champions of Europe. Messi can walk the league as long as he wants to but if the team plays in a way that everything always goes through him, then his team is unlikely to win the UCL, it's simple as that.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Of course he's one of the best in the world at playing the final pass. The problem is not that he's not good enough but that everything must revolve around him when he's on field.

Remember Barcelona and Messi's aim is to be champions of Europe. Messi can walk the league as long as he wants to but if the team plays in a way that everything always goes through him, then his team is unlikely to win the UCL, it's simple as that.

Nope. When Barcelona had a complete team, i.e When Pep was there or under Enrique, there was no problem and while he still had a big influence without there being any hindrance. Where it arises is when he is expected to do everything due to the rest of the machinery being weak. He's more than just the best at playing the final person as well, he's the best at multiple things.

A good example is Kane at Spurs. Nobody would blame Kane for everything going through him as the CF. It has to because he was clearly the best and most influential person in the team. Had he been at peak United, he wouldn't have to do it all.

 

[Tincanalley]

Honestly I think the entire thing was initially a bluff but Barto is far too arrogant so will happily see Messi out of the club before he resigns.

The longer this goes the more I see him leaving.

Even if Messi does get a ridiculous multi-year contract at City I don’t see him seeing it out, there’ll be a gentleman’s agreement for an easy release if he wants to go do a twilight season in Argentina or the US.

At this point though it’s City or stay, he won’t be going anywhere else. Pep + Money.

And I wouldn’t worry about him shattering their wage structure. Let’s be honest - it’s Messi and that will be recognised (they’re all already handsomely paid). It’s not as if they’re giving Phil Jones £200K a week.

But can he mow the grass with his head? (And there is another option: semi retirement for a season, then leave on a free)

 

[mariachi-19]

you’re way off. Madrid and united aren’t going for him because his salary would be very high. With FFP only very few teams could pay those wages. City are offering 700M apparently.

Given his advertising pull, if any of these teams wanted him, they would make it happen. Messi at United is a marketers dream until a ball is actually kicked. Madrid would benefit just from getting one over Barca like they did with Figo back in the day and It's exactly why Juve are interested because they are trying to raise their profile to the same level as the big three.


But he's not attractive. He's only attractive to City because they have minimal profile and they are desperately trying to work out how to unlock europe to justify their spending and also raise their fan base. Problem is, it is going to unsettle KDB and upset the balance of their team. He's not worth 700 million as a 33 year old and would only be worth that amount if he was 24 and hitting his peak.

 

[thepolice123]

Sorry, but that is a simplistic way to look at tactics.

You need only to look at the impotence of key attacking players that Barca have brought in to purportedly “compliment messi” to see how much that hasn’t worked.

If a player scores 20 goals and 25 assists, At the sacrifice of two other players only getting 10 goals and 15 assists each, is that better than each of them getting 15 goals and 20 assists

Quick maths:
scenario 1: 40 goals and 55 assists
Scenario 2: 45 goals and 60 assists

That’s an improvement anyway you look at it and currently Barca have 250 million euro in talent wasting away because they cannot play with Messi.

Isn't that just as simplistic? You are looking at statistics and doing simple math to come up with the conclusion. Just because Messi dominates the statistics charts doesn't mean their productivity levels are handicapped. Barcelona do not have limit on their goals and assists. Griezmann, Dembele and Coutinho flopped because they flopped. The whole club is being run to ground, terrible boardroom decision and constant managerial changes can affect a player's performance. You have to take that into account. You don't have to look beyond our own club to see the effects.

 

[Sara125]

hasn't changed since.

Has there ever been a sports star more destined for greatness?

 

[giorno]

Has there ever been a sports star more destined for greatness?

Yes, quite a few. LeBron, Maradona, Pelé, Kareem, Wilt, Federer, Tiger Woods, Cruyff...

Edit: ah you said more, not as. Then no

 

[Sara125]

This is such a simplistic view on football...

Messi breaking the assists record had everything to do with the fact that he has an unprecedented privilege to have the ball as long as he wants. The latter is the definition of "not a team player", where Messi wanders with the ball while his teammates jog around and wait for a final pass. How can a team that press and attack the space as a cohesive unit play like that?

What are you saying? That Messi can’t assist if he doesn’t have the ball? Well duh...

 

[The Firestarter]

What are you saying? That Messi can’t assist if he doesn’t have the ball? Well duh...

Fecking false prophets without telekinetic powers! Messiah my arse.

 

[RedDevil@84]

So he didn't sign yet? Depressing.

 

[LoneStar]

sorry that I keep chiming in, but to be honest I think it’s a lot of posturing. Barto needs to erase the debt Barca have or he has to pay for a big percentage of it himself by the time of the new election in March (he can’t run again thankfully). He needs to put on a facade that he fought tooth and nail to keep Messi. The club is struggling to get transfer fees for rakitic and Suarez and perhaps Vidal as well. Messi alone would get him out of the red. I think deep down he wants to get rid of Messi, it’s a toxic board. Messi is fed up at how poorly the club is run and what it has become now.
So Barto will keep pretending to want Messi back publicly but tomorrow he and Messi’s dad (his agent) meet and that will get the ball rolling for his exit.

Yeah that makes sense. It’s just a sad situation for Barca fans.