Lionel Messi - v7

[serghei]

I think it's time we contemplate that the vast majority of players are on the brink of retirement when they hit 33. Messi doesn't have the characteristics of a player that would keep his level well in his 30's.

 

[JamDav1982]

Doesn't look like the best player in the world atm.

Sad times dawg

He hasnt been best player in world this season anyway.

Likes of Lewandowski and De Bruyne been better and dont have teams that have to compensate for things they wont/cant do.

 

[ThwiX]

He looks like di Maria on his very worst days. Messi has fallen off such a cliff it's hard to believe. I literally never have seen him be as bad as he has this season, even 13/14 Tata year was levels above this Messi.

I don’t believe you can go from that level he showed last year when he almost dragged us to that CL final against all odds with the team we had, and to the mess we are witnessing right now. Something is up. Even earlier this season he was on a completely different level.

 

[Jakabor]

Messi has fallen off such a cliff it's hard to believe.

It would not be the first time for an athlete/legend.

 

[serghei]

I don’t believe you can go from that level he showed last year when he almost dragged us to that CL final against all odds with the team we had, and to the mess we are witnessing right now. Something is up. Even earlier this season he was on a completely different level.

Yes you can. He's getting old and doesn't have enough motivation to work hard to stay on top physically. Besides that, his friends in the team are past it, and he doesn't seem to want to give up on them.

 

[Jakabor]

I don?t believe you can go from that level he showed last year when he almost dragged us to that CL final against all odds with the team we had, and to the mess we are witnessing right now. Something is up. Even earlier this season he was on a completely different level.

Maybe he just worked better under Valverde? For whatever reason.

 

[Eshez]

Valverde have made the team more defensive and asked Messi to solo it upfront, like 2014 Argentina. It made some sense

 

[serghei]

Maybe he just worked better under Valverde? For whatever reason.

Problems were with Valverde as well this season. We didn't sack him for nothing.

 

[JamDav1982]

I don’t believe you can go from that level he showed last year when he almost dragged us to that CL final against all odds with the team we had, and to the mess we are witnessing right now. Something is up. Even earlier this season he was on a completely different level.

Barca beat average Lyon and Man Utd sides in CL it was no miracle to get to Liverpool and more than Messi were responsible for that.

 

[serghei]

Barca beat average Lyon and Man Utd sides in CL it was no miracle to get to Liverpool and more than Messi were responsible for that.

That's true as well. We didn't beat nobody we weren't expected to beat. Liverpool would've been that but we failed.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Barca beat average Lyon and Man Utd sides in CL it was no miracle to get to Liverpool and more than Messi were responsible for that.

Exactly. Very easy path

 

[Jakabor]

Problems were with Valverde as well this season. We didn't sack him for nothing.

Yes, Valverde was a huge problem and was rightfully fired.

But that?s not the point, Messi still seem to work better under him for whatever reason. Much better output and better overall play from Leo back then. Game winning moments.

Maybe Messi will work better under another coach?

 

[serghei]

Valverde have made the team more defensive and asked Messi to solo it upfront, like 2014 Argentina. It made some sense

Yea, but this is not 2014 when he was 27 still in his physical prime.

What worked in the past doesn't work now anymore.

 

[ThwiX]

Yes you can. He's getting old and doesn't have enough motivation to work hard to stay on top physically. Besides that, his friends in the team are past it, and he doesn't seem to want to give up on them.

Maybe if we had won that CL I would’ve accepted that he would be struggling with motivation, but that sadly didn’t work out. We know how badly he wants to win that CL trophy one last time, as he has stated so many times already. I simply think he has given up on this team being able to help him win it. He, just like us, has realized that we don’t have a team capable of winning it, and therefore he wants out. That is affecting his performances in a negative way. I mean, it all makes sense with all the exit rumors we have seen in the past weeks.

 

[Devils]

Benzema is a better than him.