Fans outside the Camp Nou stadium where Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi held a press conference in Barcelona on August 8, 2021. – Messi fought back tears as he began a press conference at which he confirmed he is leaving Barcelona, where he has played his entire career. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP) (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)
Neither Lionel Messi nor Barcelona ever imagined things would end this way
As soon as Lionel Messi entered the room, everyone in attendance gave the Argentinian a standing ovation. It was more than enough to bring the now former Barcelona player to tears before uttering a single word.
In a scenario no one in their mind imagined, including Messi, he was there to bid farewell to a club he arrived when he was just 13 years old and give his version of events as to why an agreement on a new deal could not be reached.
Understandably, Messi was emotional and it took him a while to be able to speak without his voice breaking.
“Over the last few days I have been thinking about what I was going to say, what I could say,” Messi said. “The truth is that I am stuck, it’s really difficult for me after so may years, a whole life. I was not prepared. I was convinced I was staying, at home, that’s what we wanted. We always placed our own happiness first, being at home, enjoying life in Barcelona on sporting and personal level.”
Source: FC Barcelona
By all accounts a deal was in place. Messi arrived at Barcelona from his vacation with the clear intention of putting pen to paper on a new contract. However, as it turned out, Barcelona would be unable to register him and still meet the wage guideline set out by LaLiga.
The 34-year-old could not have been more clear that his intention was to stay. He recalled the burofax he sent last season and his intention back then was to leave. He felt it was necessary. However, heading into this season, it was different. He believed in the new president and believed something could be worked out.
“I did everything possible and the club, Laporta, they couldn’t do it because of La Liga,” Messi said. “I’ve heard things said about me, that I didn’t want to continue, but on my life, we did everything we could because I wanted to stay. Last year, I didn’t want to stay and I said it; this year, I wanted to stay and we couldn’t.”
Messi reportedly agreed to reduce his wages by 50%. He did everything on his part to make a deal happen. He also said the rumor he was asked to reduce them by a further 30% was untrue.
As for what his future holds now, he said he received a number of calls from other teams after it was announced he would be leaving the only club he’s known. He wants to win and knows he’s going to have to call time on his career sooner rather than later.
For that reason alone, he wants to go somewhere where he can win and compete for every title even if it means going to one of Barcelona’s main rivals.
The team in prime position and who, by all accounts, will announce a deal for him soon are PSG. Messi admitted joining PSG is a possibility and also downplayed a photo he took with a number of PSG players while in Ibiza.
As for any regrets, he was disappointed at the fact they couldn’t win more Champions Leagues and referenced the Liverpool collapse as well as coming up short during the Pep Guardiola era.
Messi said he understood why things went down and agreed no player is bigger than the club. In his case, an argument could be made to the contrary.
He leaves Barcelona as the club’s all-time scorer with 672 and 288 assists. He won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League, seven Copa del Rey, three Club World Cups, three European Super Cups and eight Spanish Super Cups.
On a personal level, he also won six Ballons d’Or, is a leading candidate for a seventh, and six Golden Shoe awards. The list goes on and on.
Players come and go but Messi made a mark at Barcelona. He elevated to where they are today. There truly is a before and after with Barcelona and it all comes down to Messi.
“Barca are one of the best teams in the world, they have an amazing side,” he said. “More players will come, not just now but in the future. Players come and go. As Laporta said, no one person comes before the club. At first, it will be weird, but people will get used to it.”
For Barcelona supporters, not having Lionel Messi on their team and not seeing him dazzle game in and game out is going to take a lot of getting used to. Some might never get used to it.
All they can hope for now is for Messi to eventually return so he can get the proper sendoff a club legend like him deserves.
