Lionel Messi - v7

[Batistuta9]

Lol what are you expecting ? Messi hates the bench, he often said that he always wants to play. It didnt mean that his 33years old body is able to perform. Pre-Zidane era Ronaldo also said that he doesnt need rest but Zidane has convinced him to play less matches and what happened ? Ronaldo started to score braces and hattricks against in the CL Knockout matches.
So use your brain.

Koeman, given his history and status within the club should be able to bench Messi if he wants to. He must have talked about having full control before leaving the Holland job.

Messi definitely needs to rest. Every player wants to play all the time so it's the manager's job to be able to manage the players. I am fairly certain that Ronaldo didn't like being rested by Zidane. Koeman needs to do the same with Messi. Maybe he does plan on resting Messi but doesn't want to atm as we are in a bad run.

 

[Blackened]

Messi should play in the midfield nowadays. 4-2-3-1. Griezmann as a 9,Coutinho behind, Ansu and Dembele on the wings and Messi and Pjanic as midfielders. Could work wonders. Wouldnt score many goals, but with his passing and ball-control... It might rejuvenate the team.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Messi isn't to blame for still being at Barca, the guy wanted to leave. It would have been best for everyone.

Barca still act like he is by far the best player in the world so will offer him a new contract. The only way he leaves is if he doesn't extend. The new board are going to tell him about their project so there is a chance he may extend if he likes what he hears.

He will also have to accept a significant wage reduction if he decides to stay (at best 1/2 his current wages), that and the lack of a sporting project and the finances to attract top tier talent makes me believe he will leave for shure.

 

[BBZ8800]

Koeman, given his history and status within the club should be able to bench Messi if he wants to. He must have talked about having full control before leaving the Holland job.

Messi definitely needs to rest. Every player wants to play all the time so it's the manager's job to be able to manage the players. I am fairly certain that Ronaldo didn't like being rested by Zidane. Koeman needs to do the same with Messi. Maybe he does plan on resting Messi but doesn't want to atm as we are in a bad run.

Imo, there is more to this why we can't bench him:
1. We are not winning CLs anymore, so sponsors are less interested in us. And money is the most important thing in business.
Now, since we aren't winning CLs (2:8 to Bayern) and since we are 12th in La liga, we suck in sporting department.
So, since we aren't relevant results wise, the only thing left is marketing and our image.
And Messi is the only thing left.

Imagine Barca being 5th in La liga with vanilla players like Braith, Trincao, Pjanic etc.
Those guys aren't attractive to sponsors.
And if we play bad, they are even less attractive.

So, even if our results are bad, we at least have Messi for Tv rights, marketing and shirts sales.

2. Add to this: we are in debts.
The only way to earn some money is to"
1) win CLs, which we can't
2) or earn money on marketing (Messi)

3. Corona. We earn even less since there are no people on stadiums.

4. La liga is in problems after Cr7 and Neymar left.
If Messi leaves/get benched, the whole league and Barca will earn even less.
And since we are in debts, do the maths.

So, my estimation is that Messi will play and walk even if he'll be by far the worst player on the pitch.

So, a very complicated situation.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Messi should play in the midfield nowadays. 4-2-3-1. Griezmann as a 9,Coutinho behind, Ansu and Dembele on the wings and Messi and Pjanic as midfielders. Could work wonders. Wouldnt score many goals, but with his passing and ball-control... It might rejuvenate the team.

With his walking in the midfield we would be overrun from every average team. Striker is the best option imo after he has found his shooting abilites back. Usually he scores 40-50 per season, even if he 'only' scores 30-35 goals it would be enough.

 

[Hardy]

if he doesn't score today from open play there is a chance he'll reach 20 official games in a row judging by the upcoming schedule

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

if he doesn't score today from open play there is a chance he'll reach 20 official games in a row judging by the upcoming schedule

He will score today...a brace.

 

[feggydinho]

Imo, there is more to this why we can't bench him:
1. We are not winning CLs anymore, so sponsors are less interested in us. And money is the most important thing in business.
Now, since we aren't winning CLs (2:8 to Bayern) and since we are 12th in La liga, we suck in sporting department.
So, since we aren't relevant results wise, the only thing left is marketing and our image.
And Messi is the only thing left.

Imagine Barca being 5th in La liga with vanilla players like Braith, Trincao, Pjanic etc.
Those guys aren't attractive to sponsors.
And if we play bad, they are even less attractive.

So, even if our results are bad, we at least have Messi for Tv rights, marketing and shirts sales.

2. Add to this: we are in debts.
The only way to earn some money is to"
1) win CLs, which we can't
2) or earn money on marketing (Messi)

3. Corona. We earn even less since there are no people on stadiums.

4. La liga is in problems after Cr7 and Neymar left.
If Messi leaves/get benched, the whole league and Barca will earn even less.
And since we are in debts, do the maths.

So, my estimation is that Messi will play and walk even if he'll be by far the worst player on the pitch.

So, a very complicated situation.

Messi would only remain if he accepts a wage cut, prospecting Barca presidents are already making it known that it's not feasible to pay Messi what they used to again, and I'm sure they've also analysed revenues gotten from marketing and shirt sales

 

[Judoman]

Imo, there is more to this why we can't bench him:
1. We are not winning CLs anymore, so sponsors are less interested in us. And money is the most important thing in business.
Now, since we aren't winning CLs (2:8 to Bayern) and since we are 12th in La liga, we suck in sporting department.
So, since we aren't relevant results wise, the only thing left is marketing and our image.
And Messi is the only thing left.

Imagine Barca being 5th in La liga with vanilla players like Braith, Trincao, Pjanic etc.
Those guys aren't attractive to sponsors.
And if we play bad, they are even less attractive.

So, even if our results are bad, we at least have Messi for Tv rights, marketing and shirts sales.

2. Add to this: we are in debts.
The only way to earn some money is to"
1) win CLs, which we can't
2) or earn money on marketing (Messi)

3. Corona. We earn even less since there are no people on stadiums.

4. La liga is in problems after Cr7 and Neymar left.
If Messi leaves/get benched, the whole league and Barca will earn even less.
And since we are in debts, do the maths.

So, my estimation is that Messi will play and walk even if he'll be by far the worst player on the pitch.

So, a very complicated situation.

1. Sponsors care about exposure, not about results. It's true that winning CL brings more money, but it's not like if you don't it's the end of the world and the club goes to shit. Barca is and will probably always be a rich club.
It's just that it is managed by politicians and that almost always sucks. It takes a special kind of incompetence to bring a club in a situation as Barca was to this level where is it now. Politicians in charge was and and will be Barca weak spot.

As usually you are painting the darkest possible picture.

2. The obvious and realistic way to earn money is to sell Griezmann and let Messi go. In fact that would be a wise thing to do even before this season. The sponsorship deals are based on contracts and i agree they may be slightly dependent on how much games Messi plays, but for sure it's not like he has to play each one.

3. Corona hit everyone.

 

[serghei]

Imo, there is more to this why we can't bench him:
1. We are not winning CLs anymore, so sponsors are less interested in us. And money is the most important thing in business.
Now, since we aren't winning CLs (2:8 to Bayern) and since we are 12th in La liga, we suck in sporting department.
So, since we aren't relevant results wise, the only thing left is marketing and our image.
And Messi is the only thing left.

Imagine Barca being 5th in La liga with vanilla players like Braith, Trincao, Pjanic etc.
Those guys aren't attractive to sponsors.
And if we play bad, they are even less attractive.

So, even if our results are bad, we at least have Messi for Tv rights, marketing and shirts sales.

2. Add to this: we are in debts.
The only way to earn some money is to"
1) win CLs, which we can't
2) or earn money on marketing (Messi)

3. Corona. We earn even less since there are no people on stadiums.

4. La liga is in problems after Cr7 and Neymar left.
If Messi leaves/get benched, the whole league and Barca will earn even less.
And since we are in debts, do the maths.

So, my estimation is that Messi will play and walk even if he'll be by far the worst player on the pitch.

So, a very complicated situation.

But that is a cyclic argument, a circular reasoning. You can't have a successful sporting project if you pander to past it veterans and give them the keys to the team and ultimately the club.

It's our fault that we have a broken team. It's not something that was unavoidable. It's something that is the result of a crap board hugging the nuts of Messi, Suarez, Pique, Busquets and all of the veterans in the team who don't want to work hard, or don't have the legs to cut it anymore at a certain level. That coupled with several failed big money signings, stemmed from a terrible handing of the Neymar saga, and we are where we are.

There are some parallel lines of crap decisions that lead to the current situation:

- terrible board, and a string managers who are not backed and were not great to begin with (obvious since top-dog managers don't wanna come to Barca and be "managed" by the vets complaining to Barto whenever something doesn't sit well with them)
- old, overpaid veterans who are unfit and don't want (or are physically unable) to work hard anymore
- failed big money transfers.

These are the three directions where the club failed.

Looking forward the lessons are clear.

1) Don't worship lazy old legends and give them the reign in the team
2) Don't overpay players based on what they did years ago, when their current level is exposing team year after year against the best teams (or even lesser teams like Roma)
3) Don't blow hundreds of millions on stars that don't fit the current structure of the team, or on promising players after one good season at some other team.

This board needs to write a book about how not to handle the decline of a team and let it turn into a disaster. They failed at nearly all levels. Even the financial side is messed up, because the idiots got the club to pay insane amounts of money to washed up players as if it was 100% sure we'll be banking in nearly a billion a year in revenue. Even then it's not an excuse to grossly overpay players. Hell, Madrid were 3 time in a row CL winners and our players had considerably higher wages at the time . There's a lesson in finances, being the finances of a family of a corporation. Never spend as much as you make thinking you'll always be making that in the future.

 

[ItachiXXX]

Lol what are you expecting ? Messi hates the bench, he often said that he always wants to play. It didnt mean that his 33years old body is able to perform. Pre-Zidane era Ronaldo also said that he doesnt need rest but Zidane has convinced him to play less matches and what happened ? Ronaldo started to score braces and hattricks against in the CL Knockout matches.
So use your brain.

Oh really ? Maybe that's why Cristiano scoring less at that time. Is it possible that exiting early in Copa minus CR7 minutes, losing La Liga early in the season. RM fighting for two or one trophy season lessen every one minutes in RM ?
Nobody is denying that Messi need a rest from time to time, but forum de amigos pushing a narrative that Messi decide that if he will rest or not. Funny that forum de amigos blamed Valverde for resting Messi and lose a possible perfect season

 

[Andresito]

Open play goal or sell.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Messi sub! Wowwww

 

[Messigician]

Wow Messi benched.

Huge statement of intent

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

BBZ must be happy. Only work horses playing.

I am curious too.. Our defending should improve and team play. Let's see. I don't think it will add scoring though.