The internal situation at Barcelona may have gone from bad to worse in no time, thanks to the players revolting against their captain.
Lionel Messi has achieved legendary status at Barcelona and is undoubtedly the greatest player of all-time. The Argentina international has scored over 500 goals in his career, provided in excess of 200 assists and the game he plays is simply a treat to the eyes. Having said that, his importance at the Camp Nou has grown by every passing season but to no surprise.
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Messi is certainly the biggest figure amongst the players in Barca’s history for what he has done and how marketable he is, but the club’s biggest mistake and especially since Josep Maria Bartomeu became president was that he was given VIP behaviour and is arguably considered to be bigger than the club for all of his exploits especially since those elder to him departed.
Don Balon has claimed that Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele have displayed their resentment against the captain and also have the support of Samuel Umtiti. The Frenchmen have reportedly gone and talked to the club’s president with regard to this and Bartomeu has seemingly agreed about Messi putting unnecessary pressure on the board.
From what has been noticed of late, it has been Messi who has been making announcements over the club’s wage cuts and was the first to pick on Eric Abidal for his comments against the team where he claimed that the players were not working hard enough under Ernesto Valverde. How much ever one may be in love with Barcelona, he can’t deny Messi’s rising autocracy can prove fatal for the club.
Secondly, the Argentina international has not been letting the Blaugrana do their natural business as he is insistent week in and week out on the board bringing in Lautaro Martinez and Neymar, two players who may put extra financial burden on the club. In a bid to do this, Messi wants some players, including the quality ones like Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho out.
While Coutinho may not have been his usual self under Ernesto Valverde, he still has not played under Quique Setien’s system and thus, deserves time rather than being kicked out. On the flipside, Messi’s dislike against Griezmann seems solely due to the fact that the World Cup winner rejected the Catalans a year before signing for 120 million euros.
Unfortunately, the Argentine’s massive bullying of the French superstar has done so good to the team’s chemistry and Messi seems hellbent on only wanting a strike partnership with Luis Suarez. Messi’s dominance is clearly not going to work at the club and he may be the subject of further mutiny of other players if he continues being selfish and searches for his own benefits.
There is no doubt over Lionel Messi going down into the history books at Barcelona, but something needs to be done about the practical dictatorship that he is leading. Probably, Bartomeu may be a very naïve president to curb that but if someone more powerful comes in then the Barca captain could have the screws tightened around him and deservedly so, as harsh as it may sound.
Do you think Messi’s persistent interference within internal matters could cost Barca heavily?