At his farewell press convention in Barcelona, an emotional Lionel Messi was requested: “Do you think Barcelona did everything they could to keep you?” He paused, seemed up on the ceiling, and with moist however nonetheless eyes and a voice that didn’t tremble, replied: “I do not know. What could be very clear to me is that I did all the things I may.” An uneasy silence pervaded the room.
In what he mentioned with out saying something, it was clear that he thought Barcelona had not finished all the things they might to cease their biggest ever sporting the membership’s shirt. That he was very damage, there was anger and pleasure, a way of loss and a hope that even after so lengthy he may placed on the shirt he had worn 778 occasions. He would name it the hardest second of his profession whereas suppressing his feelings. “We lost badly but football gives you a chance to take revenge,” he mentioned. But there isn’t any turning again of it,” he mentioned because it was a tearful night.
But the wheel of future follows uncommon paths. Barcelona desires to rejoin after two years. Rumors of his return have been circulating for a while, however this Friday, Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste confirmed that the membership are exploring the opportunity of re-signing him. Not simply due to what he nonetheless means to the membership, however what he stands for. “I would love him to come back again due to what he represents on a sporting, social and financial stage. Beautiful tales ought to have a cheerful ending and there’s mutual love between the 2 events.
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) August 8, 2021
Messi and Barcelona is a very lovely story. A 13-year-old pale boy with miracle ft however growth points was being left at his hometown Camp Nou as a result of they have been the one membership that provided to pay for his development hormone therapy. The first contracts have been signed on napkins on the tennis membership. For the remainder of his taking part in years, Messi seemed to repay the debt, not solely profitable trophies and medals, but additionally making a mark, making them arguably the most effective ever groups within the historical past of the sport. Gave.
There have been others too, Xavi and Iniesta, Puyol and Pique, Guardiola and his imaginative and prescient. But Barcelona, for the virtually twenty years that he was there, was Messi, simply as Messi was Barcelona. History will bear in mind the crew as Messi’s Barcelona, very like Pele’s Brazil, though there have been different stars who dazzled, in order that Pele may shine even brighter. It was onerous to think about Barcelona with out him, it was onerous to think about taking part in for an additional membership. “It’s difficult,” Messi himself would say.
Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates exhibit the FIFA World Cup trophy after their pleasant victory over Curacao on Tuesday. (Photo: Instagram/@leomessi)
It is usually mentioned that gamers die twice, the primary time they retire. But for each Messi and Barcelona, taking part in for another membership would have been worse than demise. Messi, nevertheless, didn’t languish in irrelevance, however impressed the video games he was used to for Barcelona. PSG was not the sting of his retirement, however the place he maintained his ardour for the sport and fueled his World Cup goals. If he joins Barcelona subsequent season, it will appear that he was solely away for a two-year break. For a technology of soccer watchers, Messi taking part in for PSG, or another membership, will really feel like an alternate actuality.
Thus, there’s heartwarming romance concerning the reunion. The separation interval may need appeared merciless. Messi, himself, can really feel it like a rebirth. The non-Barcelona, non-Messi clan might query the propriety. When subsequent season begins, the Argentine shall be 36 years outdated. His outdated buddy Xavi is constructing a younger and vibrant crew. Will Messi’s return hinder growth? Will it change into counterproductive as soon as the novelty wears off? After all, Ronaldo has an instance. It was believed that his return would make Manchester United nice once more however the saga unfolded and ended bitterly. He misplaced just a little bit of affection and respect amongst United followers.
Lionel Messi is prone to return to Barcelona. (file)
But Messi and Barcelona are totally different. There are extra emotional layers to their relationship. From 13 to 33, by means of adolescence and youth, from the foothills to the head of greatness, it was a journey they traveled collectively. “I grew up with the values of this club and I want to be recognized as such,” he mentioned at his farewell press convention. Messi won’t ever depart Barcelona with the identical sharpness as Ronaldo. Messi has an indifference to the board that led to his departure, however he has given no recourse to sensationalism.
Ronaldo, maybe, was not as deeply concerned with United as Messi was (and is) with Barcelona. Although it’s not his fault. Ronaldo was 17 when he joined United and 24 when he left. His greatest years got here at Real Madrid, the place the parable of CR7 grew. He spent three years with Juventus, earlier than returning to United, and was weighing up affords from varied golf equipment earlier than making the soar to United, lest he find yourself at Manchester City, who’re apparently additionally making a bid for him. Were. Or so the rumor goes.
A giant cause for his success may very well be that Barcelona play the way in which they did in Messi’s days. Tiki Taka is gone, however passing continues to be the soul of the sport. He conforms to the elemental Barcelona methodology – based mostly on positional play, the crucial to maintain the ball for so long as potential. Messi, at these ranges continues to be distinctive, and there is not any cause why he could not be as spectacular as ever.
It’s an intriguing prospect – he is pulling the play-making strings with Gavi and Pedri behind Ousmane Dembele and Memphis Depay, shielded by outdated buddies Sergio Busquets and Frankie de Jong. Perhaps there is not going to be a lot peak yr left in it. But it does not matter, each Messi and Barcelona shall be joyful to be reunited. It could be the best fairy story ever instructed in soccer. A match made in soccer heaven. Barcelona might not have finished all the things to maintain him, however they’ll do all the things they will to purchase him again.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
