10 - Lionel Messi - v5

[Givenchy]

Messi has plenty of drive. You don't play at his level for so long without drive

HAD plenty of drive. retiring from Argentina and his performances in the latter stages of the CL would suggest that like many of our players who have won it all, lack motivation.

Ronaldo is totally obsessed, if Messi gets 2 goals then he wants 3. Messi just doesn't have that same drive and thats why Ronaldo is close to surpassing him despite being the lesser talented. btw im not saying Leo should play like a self obsessed diva but it is what it is.

 

[Mitchell1978]

HAD plenty of drive. retiring from Argentina and his performances in the latter stages of the CL would suggest that like many of our players who have won it all, lack motivation.

Ronaldo is totally obsessed, if Messi gets 2 goals then he wants 3. Messi just doesn't have that same drive and thats why Ronaldo is close to surpassing him despite being the lesser talented. btw im not saying Leo should play like a self obsessed diva but it is what it is.

Messi came back to Argentina.
Besides its total nonsense that Messi doesnt work hard or isnt motivated, just get the fuck out of here with that nonsense.

 

[raedkuwait]

I think messi in rome game was just pissed at EV cause he chose a coward tactics and not to play
attacking game that it effected his game, I really think that, after all this is barca and we always
play attacking game.

 

[vlad]

Messi came back to Argentina.
Besides its total nonsense that Messi doesnt work hard or isnt motivated, just get the fuck out of here with that nonsense.

No, he isnt working hard, why is that so hard to understand? Did you see him in his most important match of his career, wc final? He is underperforming in CL, while ronaldo is giving his best and gets awarded for that, even if he is below messi when it comes to talent, messi could learn few thing for him.

 

[FiReFTW]

Givenchy is absolutely correct.

You people are blind fanboys that can't see the reality.

Messi was a far better player 6 years ago, its not even comparable, he was 2 times better than today.

Back then he was MILES MILES better than anyone, nobody came close, every match he produced alot of moments of magic and was unstoppable and deadly.

Of course even today he is probably still the best in the world due to his insane talent, but its obvious to anyone that is not blind that he is far from the player he was before.

And its all understandable.. ive said it years ago when his gf was pregnant, that this could be the end of Messi, because its true for a lot of athletes, once they get a family and settle down and get kids, things change. Football is his life, his priority his everything before that, but after that happens things shift and family becomes 1st, football 2nd.
Its undisputable and it happens to most athletes.. some completely go off the rails and fall down from grace..while others Messi included still work hard and train hard and play because they truly love their sport.. but its not the same anymore, the drive is not the same, it can't be.
Its the same when you work hard in a sport to become a world champ in your particular sport, you work like an animal, you eat, live, breathe the sport and your desire and your goal and your dream to become a world champ, but once you do, you still work extremely hard, no denying it, but you will never really have that same edge and drive and motivation as you did that 1st time.

Messi still loves football, he still trains hard, he still has a lot of drive and a lot of desire to be a winner, to win things with Barca.. but its not quite the same feeling as he had when football was everything to him, when he lived and breathe football and had no other thing like he has now with his family and kids.

There are very few people who do not get affected by such things or similar things, they are usualy more loner type of people and/or people who are obsessed sick with being the best and breaking records, they can't sleep without thinking about it and its their whole obsession almost mad about it and sick for it.. Lindsey Vonn is an example of such a person, Cristiano Ronaldo sadly another example..

 

[BruceWayne11]

I've been a Messi fan for ages, due to him being the best player I've ever seen. However, he has lost too many important trophys these last years. 2014 WC, 2015 Copa, 2016 Copa and going out in the CL in 15/16, 16/17 and 17/18 limply, while Real won (through to semis this year). It's highly disappointing that he has allowed Ronaldo into the debate after it was 4-1 in Ballon d'Ors. Of course, it hasn't really been his fault all of it, but the story doesn't look so good now. I never thought this could happen when watching a dominant Barca and Messi during the Guardiola years.

 

[Judoman]

Messi was a far better player 6 years ago, its not even comparable, he was 2 times better than today.

Good god people.

Is it so hard to understand, that 6 years ago he had lots and lots of help. He had Xavi and Iniesta. He had Alves. All in their prime.
This "hole" we have in our team is not his fault. While the demestic league is winable with the current team, the CL final rounds are different story. Obviosly. Intensity
is maximized and all teams are concentrated on closing him. That is the first and main thing they need to do in order to win Barca in 2 matches. While most spanish teams lack quality to pull this off, the bigger teams can and ocassionaly do.

Stick CR in this barca team and see what happens. Would you bet, that Barca wins the league or CL? I wouldn t.


This theories about lack of motivation and effort are really starting to piss me off. The guy wins games by himself on a regular basis and it s still not enough for some ungratefull pricks.

 

[oggmar]

People seem to have forgotten how much criticism Ronaldo was facing in his early Madrid days when we were the dominant team, now the flip has been switched and Messi is now somehow not nearly as good as he was back then. Clearly Messi and Ronaldo's performances correlates with how strong their teams are. Just compare our squad these last couple of years compared to what we had in the Pep era. This talk about Messi not wanting to win anymore and that he doesn't care is just total bullshit he cares just as much as he always has unfortunately we as a TEAM aren't good enough right now, fix our squad issues and you'll see the real Messi back, yet again.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Don't agree that Messi was a better player before. To me he is a much more complete player today than before, albeit being slower.

 

[eaman]

No, he isnt working hard, why is that so hard to understand? Did you see him in his most important match of his career, wc final? He is underperforming in CL, while ronaldo is giving his best and gets awarded for that, even if he is below messi when it comes to talent, messi could learn few thing for him.

He was one of Argentina's best players in that world cup final. Didn't score but came close and you could tell he was up for it. Look at the highlights on youtube. Also in the 2016 copa final he looked up for it. He was kicked all over the place in that first half and got a player sent off. If Portugal aren't getting service to Ronaldo he isn't doing much for them. Just watch alot of his world cup games and a few of those euro 2016 games. Messi got argentina to most finals and they were an average team

 

[Barcilliant]

The problem is Messi has been missing in all these quarter final exits.

I mean MISSING! Yes, the team has been poor but he just doesn't seem to be able to impose himself in the Champions League crunch matches. He lost possession against Roma 19 times.
His physical condition is suspect. He needs to work harder and get stronger. He needs to be tougher mentally too. All too often in these matches his head drops and he seems discouraged.

 

[Barcilliant]

Oh and BTW it's time our players got into the gym and did some serious strength and conditioning work. Watching them get bullied by Roma was embarrassing.

 

[Altomonte]

Messi scored a hat trick against Leganés and had 2 days of rest. Why is it so difficult to understand for coaches that Messi needs more rest before important games. Analyze his 'sub-par' performances and you will see. Zidane understands and rests Ronaldo.

 

[Benzema10]

Ronaldo for sure has a better team, and almost all the players from Madrid's bench would start for Barca. But the problem of Messi and Barca is not only about bench, it is also about game plan, they only have one game plan. Barca is the only big team in europe to not have a plan B. But with that same game plan you beat 85% of the teams without much efforts, so imagine you have a proper starting 11... Barca have spent 300m, i feel like they spent it on nothing...

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Barca have spent 300m, i feel like they spent it on nothing...

You should put things into perspective. Coutinho isn't allowed to play in CL which is a bullshit-rule in my opinion. With him things in CL might have been different, but we'll never find out.
With Dembélé. He was injured half of the season and became fit when the schedule was very busy. There was literally no time for integration. What is more, he is still very young and raw, not a finished product.
We're not out in the Champions League because we have no plan B. We're out of CL because Valverde preferred to play it "safe" with plan B instead of finishing Roma off with plan A. He did the same mistake Emery did last year. No matter how big you advantage is. You can't go out in the second leg of CL with the main purpose to defend the result.

I always said this CL season comes too soon for this team with how things went in summer with Neymar leaving. Coutinho and Dembélé were signings for the future. However, there is no denial that your team is better.