No matter how gutted and disgusted I am after a loss, I will always support our team and Messi (as long as he plays for Barca). Having said that, Messi rightfully deserves most of the criticism here tonight. It is one thing that he tried but couldn't score/convert/materialize because of the tactics of the either our own team or the opposing team etc., it is entirely something else if he simply didn't give a damn. And tonight it appeared to the latter.
He is almost the best paid football player in the world, in such a critical/crucial/life and death game, he appeared disinterested and didn't give a damn? Shame on him. I really can't put my fingers on it. I have noticed for quite some time that his level of motivation/effort/participation seems to randomly fluctuate, no rhyme and reason. There were important games/occasions where you expected him to excel himself but he didn't appear interested. If his peculiar, inconsistent motivation/effort/work rate issue can't be reigned in, I'd say bench the little dictator. Him doing nothing on the pitch, we might as well sub him off.
I desperately want to believe that he still has got it to be considered the GOAT not just by us Cules, but by other football fans, but either way if he doesn't give a damn, he is not the GOAT in my book.
Make no mistake, I am one of the biggest fanboys of Messi's. It broke my heart to see him playing like this, it broke my heart.