Lionel Messi - To Leave Barcelona

[Stan]

Just now, Mpache said:

Miscounted then 

And yeah it's quite a bit. It would be interesting to see though if they won it before or after their European stint. Neymar and Tevez won it prior. Ronaldinho won it after. It would be easy math but I am a bit lazy haha.

Solari, Roque Junior, Dida, Cafu, Tevez, Neymar, Danilo, Samuel all won Copa before CL

Sorin, Ronaldinho, Rafinha all after Copa.

[Mel81x+]

Just now, El Profesor said:

It's Messi. In my opinion, every big european club - except Madrid, I guess - should at least explore what they can do make it possible.

It looks like it will be a very ugly divorce. Barcelona are going to sue Messi to maintain the 700 million euros release clause.

 

 

If the lawyers can use the timeline to make the transfer legal then how will Barcelona sue Messi? There's no contract breach and the best they can do is broker a deal instead of getting left with nothing?

[Cicero]

4 minutes ago, Mpache said:

Go back to Newells. Win over Argentina again. Become the 9th player (iirc) to win the Libertadores and Champions League.

I think he'd rather see out the remainder of his career on a Club that is challenging for top honors in Europe than to go back to a country that he, in no way shape or form, needs to 'win over'. 

[Stan]

1 minute ago, Mel81x said:

The rumor flying around is that he had a call with Koeman and post that this whole thing started to gain more steam. Wonder if thats true and if so, what was said on that call. 

Think as soon as Koeman was announced it was said that Messi would look to leave and was not happy.

I presume that call just re-affirmed his position of wanting to leave.

[Mpache]

Have we considered he could also take a paycut? Unless PSG and City come knocking, it's definitely realistic. He's already won more than most to all people would, and it's clear he wants more sporting success. So depends on what he wants really. Of course, I am sure he still wants to be paid better than average.

[Carnivore Chris]

20 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

I'd be sad to see him at Manchester City or PSG, being empty husks of football clubs but might sacrifice the principles if we get to see him in England. Inter Milan/Juventus might have a chance.

Inter, PSG and City are the main 3 touted but for as empty husks as PSG and City are, you'd be mad to go to Inter over those 2 considering the reason why he's leaving in the first place. Who'd go and play with Lukaku and Ashley Young over Mbappe and Neymar or players like De Bruyne. 

Anyway you can't really hold it against him, if he's not convinced to stay in the end. He's literally been dragging the team for a few years and isn't exactly getting younger, if he wants a new experience before retirement. 15 years of brilliance for the club, there will never be another like him.

But one thing I will say is that I hope he ends it all off at Newell's and not in China or Qatar. Messi in the Copa Libertadores, as a South American, would be interesting to see. 

 

[Mpache]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

I think he'd rather see out the remainder of his career on a Club that is challenging for top honors in Europe than to go back to a country that he, in no way shape or form, needs to 'win over'. 

I was partially joking, but he wont go back to Argentina for 2 reasons:

1. He wants to live in Europe. He's called it home years ago.

2. In Argentina, everyone will want to rob him or steal his money. Just ask Tevez about that.

[El Profesor]

8 minutes ago, Mpache said:

Go back to Newells. Win over Argentina again. Become the 9th player (iirc) to win the Libertadores and Champions League.

Ajax would be an amazing destination, in my opinion. 

Such a great club and doing the reverse path of Cruyff would be pretty cool.

[Azeem]

Man United should do a swap deal with Maguire while it's on

[Mel81x+]

 

[Spike]

There is only one difference between Barcelona and PSG/Man City. The latter two have no choice by to take money from their corrupt owners, the impetus is their previous owners, Barcelona willlingly take money from Qatar Airways and proudly wear upon the shirt. They also have some sponsorship with some weird traditional medicine state backed Chinese pharma conglomerate. Weird.

.

[El Profesor]

6 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

If the lawyers can use the timeline to make the transfer legal then how will Barcelona sue Messi? There's no contract breach and the best they can do is broker a deal instead of getting left with nothing?

In my opinion,  Bartomeu is burning those bridges on purpose. He wants Messi to leave. If he left the presidency today, he would have to pay from his own pocket the debts incurred during his term. A Messi transfer would balance the clubs books and it would save him and his fellow board members millions of euros.

[The Artful Dodger]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

There is only one difference between Barcelona and PSG/Man City. The latter two have no choice by to take money from their corrupt owners, the impetus is their previous owners, Barcelona willlingly take money from Qatar Airways and proudly wear upon the shirt. They also have some sponsorship with some weird traditional medicine state backed Chinese pharma conglomerate. Weird.

.

Barcelona are certainly outrageously hypocritical and disappointing in recent behaviour, no qualms. However their success is not entirely manufactured, they have been a great club before this.

[Mpache]

I honestly think this decision will come down to the best place to live with a sporting project of some sort. He puts a lot of importance to his family.

Paris seems to be the easy answer.

[Mpache]

This headline 

 

[Mel81x+]

4 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

In my opinion,  Bartomeu is burning those bridges on purpose. He wants Messi to leave. If he left the presidency today, he would have to pay from his own pocket the debts incurred during his term. A Messi transfer would balance the clubs books and it would save him and his fellow board members millions of euros.

That kind of explains the reason they want to sue him instead of saying we want to keep him. I think this really is going to happen now its just a matter of when it happens. I suppose 700 million is a lot of money but I also really can't see how Messi took this step without legal council first.

If Barcelona have anything to say about the transfer then he will go to Paris purely for money reasons. They don't want to send him to England and especially not to Guardiola as Bartomeu comes off as the kind of person who hold grudges a long time. 

[Spike]

Just now, The Artful Dodger said:

Barcelona are certainly outrageously hypocritical and disappointing in recent behaviour, no qualms. However their success is not entirely manufactured, they have been a great club before this.

What is done is done, before only exists as a memory. Even the maligned Manchester City and Chelsea used to have something sincere before cash influx (whether positive or negative is the beholder's), the only club that never did is PSG. A merger born from the ambitions of businessmen and designed by a haute couturier. AC Milan... corrupt Italian 'politician', Inter Milan a Chinese Holding Conglomerate, dirty fingers are everywhere unfortunately. Maybe Napoli are sincere, bankrolled by the insanity and passion of a film producer.

All said and done, he like Xavi should play for free.

[El Profesor]

5 minutes ago, Mpache said:

I honestly think this decision will come down to the best place to live with a sporting project of some sort. He puts a lot of importance to his family.

Paris seems to be the easy answer.

My favorite Messi destinations:

- Ajax;

- Leeds (Messi and Bielsa together would be great, the rosarino connection ); 

- Internazionale; 

- Newells

[Spike]

Come to Besiktas

[Cicero]

2 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

My favorite Messi destinations:

- Ajax;

- Leeds (Messi and Bielsa together would be great, the rosarino connection ); 

- Internazionale; 

- Newells

Inter probably the only realistic one 

[Stan]

Barca's attack looks really weak without both Messi and Suarez...

[Spike]

Just now, Stan said:

Barca's attack looks really weak without both Messi and Suarez...

ah yes, the mediocrity of Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati, and Ousmane Dembele. They'll be fine, before this season Antoine Griezmann was considered one of the best players in the world, and easily one of my favourites. He'll do better than whatever he accomplished this season.

[Eco]

5 minutes ago, Spike said:

ah yes, the mediocrity of Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati, and Ousmane Dembele. They'll be fine, before this season Antoine Griezmann was considered one of the best players in the world, and easily one of my favourites. He'll do better than whatever he accomplished this season.

How do you rate Griezmann @Mpache?

 

[Stan]

7 minutes ago, Spike said:

ah yes, the mediocrity of Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati, and Ousmane Dembele. They'll be fine, before this season Antoine Griezmann was considered one of the best players in the world, and easily one of my favourites. He'll do better than whatever he accomplished this season.

My statement still stands...

A frontline lacking Messi and Suarez is considerably weaker than when they're in it.

Griezmann is fine. Dembele spends more time with the physio than on the pitch. Hardly reliable.

Ansu Fati is very good but he's still only 17?! Surely can't rely on a youngster to fill the South America boots...

[El Profesor]

5 minutes ago, Stan said:

Barca's attack looks really weak without both Messi and Suarez...

Looking in retrospect, I feel like Koeman's statements that he didn't see Griezmann as a winger and that he counted on Coutinho for next season were signs that Koeman already knew that he would have to build a team without Messi. 

Losing Messi is a huge blow, but they still have lots of talent in their squad. Coutinho, Griezmann, Fati, Dembélé is not bad, not at all.

Also, Trincão is a great signing. He will be a very good player for Barcelona.