Leaving Barcelona Wasn’t Messi or the Club’s Choice

Lionel Messi will no longer be playing for FC Barcelona according to a statement put out by the club. Here’s the thing… Messi wants to stay. Barcelona wants Messi to stay, but matters seemingly out of his and the club’s control have prevented that from happening. The main reason for this is that under the La Liga financial fair play rules, there’s no way for Messi to register as a player. So what is Messi’s new club? We don’t know yet.

Messi Can’t Stay

Remember, on June 30th, 2021 Messi’s previous contract expired and in July he tentatively agreed to stay with the club for 5 years. This usually means he plays another two or three years in his prime and then some other U.S. based club or big money club pays to buy him out of the contract and everyone walks away happy… however when it came time to sit at the table and figure out the new deal things did not go as planned. 

Many have speculated that one of the reasons Messi may not have actually wanted to stay was all the drama that happened last year when Messi wanted to leave the club and was prevented, or recently the decision by Barcelona not to reinforce the defensive line with Argentine compatriot Cristian Romero of Italian club Atalanta. Below is the official statement on what we know. 

In an official statement, FC Barcelona said the following about the strange situation. 

“Given this situation, Messi will not continue his relationship with Barcelona. Both parties lament deeply that the desires of the player and the club cannot be met… Barca would like to wholeheartedly thank the player for his contribution to the growth of the institution and wish him the best in his personal and professional life.”

So does who will suffer the biggest damage from the move, Messi for not continuing with the club where he’d have like 2 more years to expand his club records or FC Barcelona who will lose out on having the best player ever to have played any sport. Clearly, FC Barcelona is on the losing side of this decision. They’re stuck with a coach who has struggled to win decisive games, an aging and young lineup that can’t seem to find momentum or inspiration that doesn’t come from Messi, and overall the team has been slowly fizzling out. 

For Messi on the other hand it’s a chance to take on a new challenge and find a new team or system where he can explore a new role in the second act of his career. Argentine fans will love the prospect of Messi seeking out a team that can help him develop a playing relationship with another player likely to be in the world cup. 

Messi for PSG: 

According to recent rumors and images from Messi’s most epic vacation since winning the Copa America, he’s been spending a long time with his BFFs Neymar, Angel DiMaria, and Leandro Paredes. While the French League is hardly competitive, and PSG is just a billionaire’s indulgence, it’s certainly a new prospect for Messi who could actually help that new club make some history especially in the Champions League.

At the end of the day, Messi is the GOAT of sports for all time and all history. He has given fans and the sport everything, now it’s time to give him our patience as he plans his second act.