Actually I agree with that line-up. It's possibly too narow but Pep switched to inverted wingers anyway. Only Zinchenko, I think he's gonna be sold and Cancelo is a first-choice LB now.
Lionel Messi
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Well if compare with Messi situation, Ronaldo definitely left on far better terms than Messi. It’s not even worth to argue anything otherwise, really. For a start, Ronaldo didn’t have to go through any court/dispute trouble with the club, and Real Madrid did say something along the lines of Ronaldo can do whatever he wish, as he deserves that after he all did for Real. He didn’t need force his move by missing training etc, as to what Messi is doing now. He also wrote an open letter thanking his fans there, and majority of fans feeling rather thankful and wishing him the best. At least I don’t hear angry fans coming out ranting something like “Satanic dwarf” towards him, similar to those towards Messi.
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Well, Tebas and Barca tried to block PSG from paying Neymar's buy-out clause so no matter what's in Messi's contract it was always gonna be difficult.
That wasn't real. The guy is an online personality and he's an Estudiantes fan.
The protesting fans had pictures of Messi dressed as Che Guevara so I don't think the fans have any ill feelings towards Messi. He's at war with the board and so are the fans.
Ah, understood. No, I don’t see either Ronaldo or Messi as mercenaries, both want to win shit and score goals.
I just personally think Messi would be better off joining Munich or a traditional top club for his legacy as I’m a football romantic like that.
Point taken but still won it without pep.
BT and Sky aswell. Watch the monthly subscription bump up
how long will the court case take? we’ve what 40 days left of the transfer window?
Maybe this is all a big rouse by Messi to trick City into paying 700m for him and saving Barcelona from financial ruin. A last sacrificial gift from Saint Messi, if you will.
God, please no. Don't even talk about that.
Bayern already ruled themselves out early 
Even if they could afford it, they can't now, it's not the type of world breaking signing they've ever made. They tend to prefer buying young/early and developing talent instead of buying long established world class players
Even if they could afford it, they can't now, it's not the type of world breaking signing they've ever made. They tend to prefer buying young/early and developing talent instead of buying long established world class players
I hope this saga gets really messy (see what I did there?) and he ends up staying at Barca this coming season and they both feck each other up.
I need a Michael Jackson popcorn gif.
I need a Michael Jackson popcorn gif.
Messi banging in own goals every match in protest
The best possible outcome for all of us is for this saga to drag on right until the end of the window, then for the deal to not go anywhere. City could end up dedicating a lot of time to this deal, potentially missing other targets, Barcelona dedicate their time to preventing Messi from moving, thereby them missing their other targets, with Messi being unhappy and staying at Barcelona, where it creates a negative situation with him and the club.
That is the best outcome for us. It very well could still happen, too.
This guy gets it. Would hate to see the club get bent over for a couple years of superstar hype. Stay the course and build a proper squad that can challenge for a decade.
Agreed not to mention he barely runs nowadays and considering how much more physical the league is... Just not worth it spending quarter of a billion on a 33 year old no matter how good he is.
I mean, yeah, but the difference is the context
As for fans, there were plenty of people who were(and still are) angry with him. But again the context is different, Cristiano was loved, Messi is worshipped. This is far more traumatic for them as it was for us. But the vast majority of their fans are squarely behind Messi
PS satanic dwarf is a bad translation but i choose not to correct it because it's funnier
No, Ronaldo's move to Juventus was money that he wasn't getting paid from Real. The CL narrative is BS. He would love to win CL with Juventus but money was the biggest reason he left or else he would still be playing with Madrid today for sure.
Barto is so toxic that as I've said before even Xavi wouldn't touch the club, and Puyol is applauding Messi for leaving. Think about how crazy and toxic the board has become for this to happen. Messi stuck with Barca after CL humilation after CL humilation. He only has 2-3 years left at the top and with a club that has zero direction with what it wants to do, as much as it pains me to say it, he would be wasting his final years at this poorly run club. Everyone knows it's a joke of an institution. The fact that the fans and media in Barca are fully supporting Messi despite him wanting to leave says it all. He is doing the right thing. I would have loved for him to stay but this club is hopefully and need a hard rebuild. All of this could have been avoidable with competent management but instead of we have a stain forever in the club's history.
And Messi only picked Tata Martino. That's it. He didn't pick Enrique, or Valverde, or Setien, or Coutinho, Dembele, or Griezmann. If it were up to him Barca would've gone all in on Aguero and Fabregas never would have been sold. He doesn't decide the transfers or the coach.
The physicality of the PL i greatly over stated. Players have an easier time adjuting to the PL than the other way around. I've seen far more PL players struggle in La Liga than La Liga players coming to the PL.
This is wrong, most fans fully support Messi, and they hate the board. No one is angry at him for leaving outside of a few trolls here or there. He is still just as worshipped and respected, it's the board that people want to kick out and have their vitrol for.
Bayern already ruled themselves out early
Even if they could afford it, they can't now, it's not the type of world breaking signing they've ever made. They tend to prefer buying young/early and developing talent instead of buying long established world class players
Bayern just tap up under 18's and outbid everyone else due to their financial muscle. They're a very rich club, and have a monopoly on any talent coming up the german ranks. It's a joke really, even if they are a well run club.
It could take many many months, it's complicated. However why neither side wants to go to court is because while Messi can get a special certificate from Fifa to go to City while the court case is pending, if Barca win the court case, City have to pay the full 700M release clause. If Messi wins the case, he leaves for free.
I think they will settle for a 100-150M deal as Barca need the money.
It has as much power as you or I saying it isn't applicable. La Liga can throw a hissy fit like they did when Neymar was sold but they can't block the transfer or anything.
Cheers for clearing that up.
We're talking about a 33 year old here with poor stamina - the guy's barely running these days. I wonder how Pep will utilize him.
Oh, his workrate is bad don't get me wrong. But he's still the best player in the world. But he gives you so much in attack (tied an all time top 5 league assist record this past season) they'll just have the other 9-10 players put in more of a shift to compensate. Even Klopp said he wouldn't ask Messi to trackback because of what he offers:
https://tribuna.com/en/fcbarcelona/...tiano-or-messi-you-have-to-defend-1588094923/
Yeah but you sacrifice a lot for those stats. Barca player's passed on responsibility when they shouldn't have. He would be behind the play and theyd pass to him, in better positions they would pass to him. When he was behind the play on a break they would pass to him because Messi has space and you have to pass to him.
If he is getting the ball all the time, he will have great stats. Its the first time this comparison will ever be made but look at Grealish stats for Villa. Look at KDB when hes the only midfielder with any threat, look at Pogba through the years when he was getting legit criticism and his stats were amazing. Hell look at Bruno when he got tired but we still gave him the ball time and time again. Amazing stats because they always get the ball in attacking positions.
Surely £150m is a great deal for Barcelona? He is the best player in the world but over the next 3 years he will decline. Him going now allows the club to rebuild as a team rather than all the focus being on one player. With Messi gone you can fit Coutinho and Griezmann in the team. And can’t he leave on a free next summer anyway? Cash in now!
I agree. As much as it hurts to lose Messi, who should've finished his career with Barca with better management, selling him for that price range on top of saving another 80-100M in wages as well would help with the rebuild. I just wish this gets resolved soon because we need to clean up the roster.
strong statement but he’s not completely wrong. We should not change course because messi is available. He’s 33 for Christ’s sake, he’s the GOAT but feck paying 150 million for a player in decline.
Why is he wearing a Christmas jumper in fecking August? Twat.
That's not a christmas jumper and maybe he's cold in the tropical paradise that is Manchester.
Messi at 40 would probably still be a better midfielder than any of midfielders in the past 10 years, if you could keep him pleased up top with two working wingers, then there too... it's someone turning down LeBron over a rookie. It's not so much the players, it's that compared to NBA, money is wildly out of control.
It's irrelevant. It's City or bust.
It's irrelevant. It's City or bust.
Wearing season-inappropriate garments is a sign of insanity, it's well known. I have an older relative who's a certified nutter - and he does it per default.
Note how he doesn't look bothered by it either - classic nutter behavior: they never sweat (classic sign).
@Daysleeper, @giorno with some of Barcelona sponsorships coming up if Messi leaves that would most likely impact them, in case Barto leaves before that does he still face some kind of accountabilitiy to this?
Guillem Balague "if he (Bartomeu) badly sells Messi, next president or season ticket holder could accuse him of mishandling assets.That could mean a huge payment from his own pocket or even prison!So he needs to fight Messi’s departure till the end"
I'm sure its been mentioned but what are Barca fans saying, is there a fair bit of animosity towards Messi?
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