An Instagram story, that’s all it took. A couple of finger taps on a screen were enough to light a massive fire over an entire soccer team. Those were no ordinary fingers, as they belonged to Lionel Messi. That was no ordinary team either, it was FC Barcelona. The Argentinian striker showed his discontent with Eric Abidal’s statements as he asked for the former player to assume his responsibilities as sporting director and call some names out. This was the biggest blow in a forgettable week for them that included getting knocked out of Copa del Rey and another Ousmane Dembele injury.
They can’t do anything about Dembele or the League Cup. But they can do something about Messi, letting him go that is.
The Messi Dependency Syndrome
Messi is the driving force of FC Barcelona. It has become more evident since Pep Guardiola’s departure. This season, however, has turned into the pinnacle of their dependency on the greatest soccer player in the world. Often times Barcelona has shown its weaker side with a lackluster style of play, only waiting for the Argentinian superstar to do his thing. This is unacceptable, furthermore, it is useless as it has brought Barca no good. There’s no need to remember last year’s UCL exit, right?
The Making Of A Gutless Squad
The search for glory by the hand of Messi has had another devastating side effect: disposable players. This is as self-explanatory as it is self-destructing. The confidence that comes with having La Pulga alongside Luis Suarez at the front has led to disastrous scouting. Thus, they brought in players like Paco Alcacer, Andre Gomes and Philippe Coutinho. While Dembele has performed according to standards, he has turned into a headache for Los Cules due to poor health. Their poor choices have created another problem in itself; the fall of La Masía.
The Fall Of La Masia
For years, La Masía served as Barcelona’s youth academy. Nowadays, it looks more like Barca’s source for quick cash as most of its talents are sold in favor of foreign talent that, as previously mentioned, doesn’t meet standards for playing alongside Messi. Ironically, it was there where “The Goat” developed as a player before reaching stardom.
The Locker Room Rebel
The biggest sign that something must change is Messi’s latest attitude change. In recent months he has become quite vocal about his employers’ inner workings. The first sign of trouble came up back in October as rumors of a Neymar return to Barcelona began to spread. “There are people from the club and the members who don’t want him back,” he said. Just like Abidal, he mentioned no names. He has slowly turned from a good guy to a locker room Che Guevara. The 32-year-old has shown his clingy side and there’s no room for that, not at Cam Nou.
It’s For Your Own Good
Messi’s contract allows him to leave the Catalan team by the end of the season. He could do so as a free transfer. This is Los Cules’ golden ticket to freedom. Letting him go would do good to the Blaugranas. Being Messi-free would allow them to revive their youth academy instead of just buying players like compulsive shoppers. It would force them to change tactics to end their dependency on a single player and it would save them future problems by sending off an ego that grows bigger and bigger by the day.
Granted, this wouldn’t go well with Catalonia’s faithful, and it won’t go well with their attacking unit either. Yes, Suarez and Antoine Griezmann might get mad and throw a tantrum but that won’t last forever.