Barcelona gives a glimpse of life after Lionel Messi against Villareal.
Ronald Koeman may have found an answer to the question many Barcelona fans even dread to think of, who will replace Lionel Messi after his eventual exit? This question has haunted many fans for years now and at the age of 33, the Argentine does not have many years left to give. The answer to the problem however had always been there in their youth academy and in the match against Villarreal, we could clearly single out the heir to Messi’s Throne.
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There is no doubt that Messi’s time in the Catalan side is almost up, he would not have been a part of the squad this season had it not been for the pandemic and the lawsuit that the board threatened him with. Had the season finished in June, the legend would have probably walked out on a free transfer. However, due to certain complications, he chose to stay for the last 12 months of his contract before looking for new grounds to work his magic in.
This means that the Spanish giants must recognize a player who can replace the talent in just one season. That is where Ansu Fati comes in. A product of La Masia, Fati has all the attributes to become one of the greatest of all time. The 17-year-old burst onto the scene last year with seven goals in 11 La Liga starts. This kind of stats allowed Koeman to have enough faith in the youngster to make him an integral part of the team this season.
Fati did not let down his trust either, arguably being the brightest player in the match against Unai Emery’s team, the Spaniard showed his talents. He scored two goals with absolute precision before winning a penalty which allowed Messi to get on the scoresheet. He is being developed well by the club and Messi has also become his mentor and is guiding him to be the next leader of the club.
He also showed his form in the International matches that he played before the season began. This could be a whole new era for Spain and Barcelona and Fati could be the spearhead of the operation. It will take some time for the club to reach its former glory but with young talents such as Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig, the future looks bright for the struggling giants.
How will Barca shape after Messi’s departure?