If you're referring to David Villa then I'm not applying double standards. We treated the guy like shit and he worked so hard for us and was a successful signing. If we actually played him regularly after he was finally declared fit he would have found his form, he was still scoring goals with ease especially compared to Pedro and Alexis. In the end though we ruined him and it was for the best we get him off the wage bill.
As for Thiago, perhaps I was overreacting, as new information comes out I change my mind. I still think he was impatient though and if he stayed he could have succeeded here.
I wasn't replying to anyone in specific.
This just seems to be the general consensus around here nowadays.
Actually now that we're talking about it, it's all starting to make perfect sense. Some absurd things that have been happening throughout the season all make sense now... Considering how openly happy the club is about getting Villa off the wage bill and how they're fine with selling him for that ridiculous fee, I would dare to presume that they deliberately treated him like shit all season long, just to push him to the point where he wants to leave, so they can get him off the wage bill without looking like the bad guys. Poor guy probably wanted to stay, he was happy here, but Rosell had a different plan.
Abidal also a good example. Wanted to stay, was shipped out for "sporting" reasons.
I was, in fact, referring to Villa and Abidal. The club had no reason not to renew his contract. Abidal is not an idiot. He knows better than anyone what he's been through and what can be expected of him. He wasn't looking to be a regular, he was probably willing to take a paycut as well. In fact, it would be great to have him around as an extra CB, because we know how bad things are here with CBs. It would make all the sense in the world to keep him, but no. He wanted to stay, but they shut him out and wouldn't even talk to him until his contract expired.
That's not clear. If he was on € 3M at Barca and Bayern gave him € 5M instead of "normally" € 6M that's also a "pay cut" but effectively he's still earning more.
Do we have the actual numbers, though? Because by default it would mean that he took a paycut in comparison to his salary at FCB. What's a "normal" salary anyway? Bayern probably has a standardized wage system for their academy players who are promoted, but for every player who was signed from elsewhere they probably make individual deals. EDIT: Although I must say that the part where he pays 4m out of his pocket only makes sense if he's taking a paycut comparing to what were supposed to be his wages at Bayern. But again, even so, it doesn't mean he's earning more.