“Even if FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi have reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties was to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen due to financial and structural obstacles (Spanish League rules),” the statement said. “Both sides deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club are ultimately not fulfilled.”
The association did not initially provide details of why it was not possible to continue the collaboration. It could be the rules of financial fair play in Spain. The league sets the upper limits of the total allowable amount for club salaries. The upper limit should result from the difference between income and expenditure. For Barca, the league had significantly reduced the budget as a result of the CoV pandemic last year.
778 games, 672 goals, 35 titles
Whether the regulation is only used as an excuse to dissolve a marriage that has long since broken up remains an open question. The fact is, however, that what is looking for its equal in sport is over. In addition to a total of 35 titles with FC Barcelona, Messi was the top goalscorer with 672 goals in the club’s 121-year history. He played 778 games for FC Barcelona, which brought him from Rosario in Argentina in 2000 as a 13-year-old.
Where the six-time world footballer will continue is open. Manchester City with Josep Guardiola, his former success coach at Barca, is traded again and again. Paris Saint-Germain could certainly afford Messi, who recently celebrated the long-awaited first title triumph with the national team and won the Copa America. The 34-year-old, who lives with his three sons and his wife around 20 kilometers from Barcelona, has not yet commented.
Departure despite approach
In the end it had given the impression that both sides had come closer. Messi’s departure from Barcelona does not come as a complete surprise. The Argentine’s contract expired at the end of June. A year ago, he was pushing hard to leave the club. Indiscretions that had harmed him and the team, as well as sporting low blows such as the 2: 8 in the quarter-finals of the Champions League against FC Bayern Munich, had permanently damaged the exceptional footballer’s relationship with the club.
Messi wanted to leave as early as 2020, but the insane 700 million euros stipulated as a transfer fee and the veto of then President Josep Bartomeu prevented him. The fact that striker partner Luis Suarez was later sold and celebrated the championship title with Atletico Madrid did not exactly alleviate Messi’s displeasure.
Return from Laporte gave hope
In March of that year, Joan Laporte returned as president, hopes growing that Messi would appease and opt for another contract. Laporte had already been president when Messi’s professional career at Barca began at the age of 17. The exceptional talent made his debut in adult football on October 16, 2004 in the league against city rivals Espanyol.
Yusuf Demir is now one year older. Austria’s midfield hope, which last showed in friendly matches for Barcelona and could be committed by the Catalans after a year on loan for a € 10 million transfer to Rapid Vienna, will not be able to play alongside Messi in the near future.
Hopes had been high after Barca announced the signing of Messi’s close friend Sergio Aguero (33) from ManCity at the end of May. Messi should be persuaded to stay. According to media reports, the superstar even wanted to forego half of his previous salary and sign for another five years. After his family vacation in Miami and Ibiza, everything should actually be fixed. Then everything turned out differently.
Wanted poster Lionel Messi
Born: 24. June 1987 in Rosario (ARG)
Height / Weight: 1.69 m / 67 kg
Family status: married to Antonella, three sons
Caps / Goals: 151/76
Previous clubs: Newell’s Old Boys (ARG / until 2000), FC Barcelona
(2000–2021)
Professional debut: October 16, 2004 for FC Barcelona in a league match against
Espanyol Barcelona (1: 0)
Greatest successes with FC Barcelona:
- 4 x Champions League winners (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
- 10 x champion (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
- 7 x cup winners (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021)
- 3 x club world champion (2009, 2011, 2015)
- 3 x European Supercup winner (2009, 2011, 2015)
- 8 x Spanish Supercup winner (most recently 2018)
- 8 x top scorer in the Spanish league (last 2021)
Greatest successes with Argentina’s national team:
- Copa America 2021 winner (top scorer and best player)
- World Cup Final 2014
- Olympic champion 2008
- U20 World Champion 2005 (top scorer and best player)
Awards:
- 6 x World Footballer of the Year (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019)
- 3 x European Footballer of the Year (2009, 2011, 2015)
