[Football] Messi leaving Barca - PSG 2 years at €35m net per season

[herecomesaregular]

Its probably not the best league at this moment due to lots of players leaving as a result of covid crashing the Spanish football economy. But it certainly has been for most of his spell there. Its not just Real Madrid / Barcelona - other teams frequently beat the shit out of English teams in the Europa League and friendlies. The Premier League is more hyped and got more money and more expensive players, but yet again and again when English and Spanish teams meet it appears that the random Jose or Javier no one has heard of is equally good as those expensive names gathered across the world.

Messi has proven he is capable of destroying English teams, over and over again. They might be "tougher" and "more physical" - maybe - but Messi has destroyed them over and over again. In 34 games against English teams - all of them top teams - Messi scored 26 goals and 6 assists. I doubt anyone, in the PL or outside it, got a record anywhere near that. Yet I'm supposed to believe that he couldnt deal with Shane Duffy?

England is the only place in the world where people even discuss on whether he could dominate in the PL. It was the same thing about Zlatan Ibrahimovic before he casually scored four against England and then carried a shite United team to a second place in the PL.

While money certainly played a role in his decision, and that would also have been the case if he went to your preferred destination, I dont think its the only reason - he also wants to win things, and the chances of doing that alongside Neymar (who by the way would also be decent in the PL) and Mbappe looks pretty good.

Aha! more distaste and bile for the English yet you slobber all over us like a dog with a pig's ear. Bizarre.

 

[Swansman]

Aha! more distaste and bile for the English yet you slobber all over us like a dog with a pig's ear. Bizarre.

If saying that La Liga is most often (in the last 20 years) stronger than the PL "distaste" against the English... oh boy, then you should see my distate against the Swedish as I only think one or two Allsvenskan teams would survive in League One.

 

[herecomesaregular]

It's your tone, dear!

 

[Stat Brother]

A lot of people spouting forth on something they clear have no knowledge about, happy dayz.



I'll stick with Sid Lowe when it comes to learning about what's going on.

 

[Hamilton]

England is poor/distasteful in some senses, Sweden in some, Spain in some and so on. As I see it, just because I'm a foreigner visiting this primarly English board doesnt mean I need to shove a bowl of fish & sticks in my ass while stroking myself to pictures of the Queen.

Now, there's an image.

 

[Hamilton]

A lot of people spouting forth on something they clearly have no knowledge about, happy dayz.



I'll stick with Sid Lowe when it comes to learning about what's going on.

Is this a new NSC strap line you are suggesting?

 

[ShandyH]

Is this a new NSC strap line you are suggesting?

Poor little Messi. Wasn't able to be paid half of his previous €120m per year salary so he cried in front of camera about how sad he was that he had to go. What a total w@nker. You've tanked one football club. Let's try and take down Qatar (put in place by Platini)l.

Here's an idea. Take a f===ing pay cut. It's not like he needs the money. It's obscene.

New deal is apparently a paltry €35m per year plus a €25m signing on fee.

He should give this money to charity.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

PSG always felt the only option really. Amazed if they are allowed to continue spending fair play wise but guess the French league will now be sold to a lot more nations on TV.

 

[nicko31]

Amazed the media coverage the move to PSG had got, just one player who is past his peak....

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Lols when they don’t win the CL

 

[MattBackHome]

PSG already had the sexiest front line in world football*, now it's just ridiculous. I'm going to be absolutely glued to the CL again this year; from the knockouts onwards it really is the best football competition in the world.

*A length from Atalanta and then there's clear daylight back to Dortmund in 3rd.

 

[Hamilton]

Vanity signing.

(and no, not our new striker.)

 

[Bry Nylon]

just because I'm a foreigner visiting this primarly English board doesnt mean I need to shove a bowl of fish & sticks in my arse while stroking myself to pictures of the Queen.

You obviously didn't read the Terms & Conditions clearly enough when signing up. Fish and sticks are in the post; you have to source your own picture of Her Majesty.

 

[WhingForPresident]

 

[Billy the Fish]

PSG already had the sexiest front line in world football*, now it's just ridiculous. I'm going to be absolutely glued to the CL again this year; from the knockouts onwards it really is the best football competition in the world.

*A length from Atalanta and then there's clear daylight back to Dortmund in 3rd.

And yet they only won the cup last year. The question is can Pochettino build a balanced team with those players, individuals will win you games occasionally but good teams will always win the trophies.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Its probably not the best league at this moment due to lots of players leaving as a result of covid crashing the Spanish football economy. But it certainly has been for most of his spell there. Its not just Real Madrid / Barcelona - other teams frequently beat the shit out of English teams in the Europa League and friendlies. The Premier League is more hyped and got more money and more expensive players, but yet again and again when English and Spanish teams meet it appears that the random Jose or Javier no one has heard of is equally good as those expensive names gathered across the world.

Messi has proven he is capable of destroying English teams, over and over again. They might be "tougher" and "more physical" - maybe - but Messi has destroyed them over and over again. In 34 games against English teams - all of them top teams - Messi scored 26 goals and 6 assists. I doubt anyone, in the PL or outside it, got a record anywhere near that. Yet I'm supposed to believe that he couldnt deal with Shane Duffy?

England is the only place in the world where people even discuss on whether he could dominate in the PL. It was the same thing about Zlatan Ibrahimovic before he casually scored four against England and then carried a shite United team to a second place in the PL.

While money certainly played a role in his decision, and that would also have been the case if he went to your preferred destination, I dont think its the only reason - he also wants to win things, and the chances of doing that alongside Neymar (who by the way would also be decent in the PL) and Mbappe looks pretty good.

Agree with every word.

Whilst the top 4 mega rich clubs in this country are generally stronger than the the rest of Europe (at the moment) purely down to their obscene spending, the people that say the standard of the sides at the lower end of Premier League is much stronger than the lower sides in Italy, Spain, Germany etc clearly don't watch these leagues and have no real knowledge of them. The English clubs have more money but are generally not better as we saw first hand at the weekend.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Agree with every word.

Whilst the top 4 mega rich clubs in this country are generally stronger than the the rest of Europe (at the moment) purely down to their obscene spending, the people that say the standard of the sides at the lower end of Premier League is much stronger than the lower sides in Italy, Spain, Germany etc clearly don't watch these leagues and have no real knowledge of them. The English clubs have more money but are generally not better as we saw first hand at the weekend.

I think people get confused between quality and intensity when they're taking about this subject. I agree that the bottom half of La Liga is better in quality than the Prem, as you say you only have to look at results of matches in the Europa league to see that.

However, there's a big difference in the intensity of the games. Whenever I've watched Real/Barca at home vs anyone outside the top six they're usually played at walking pace and the away team usually looks beaten in the tunnel. Even Real/Barca away to those teams can be the same, played in half empty stadiums. They can appear very one sided which is probably why people over here think the quality isn't there but I think it's more to do with mentality. English teams will always work hard and be physical to make up for lack of quality and that makes it harder for the big teams to roll over the small teams, in Spain the refs would never let that happen.

 

[GT49er]

It's really tragic that he's had to leave his beloved Barcelona, but good for him, he's decided to go and play somewhere else and for a team he doesn't really want to play for. It's good to know it's not about the money - he mustt be congratulated for just wanting to play football as long as he can, whatever the financial sacrifices he has had to make.
Luckily, he's been on a decent wage fr a few years, so should be able to get by. #PrayforMessi.

 

[Farehamseagull]

I think people get confused between quality and intensity when they're taking about this subject. I agree that the bottom half of La Liga is better in quality than the Prem, as you say you only have to look at results of matches in the Europa league to see that.

However, there's a big difference in the intensity of the games. Whenever I've watched Real/Barca at home vs anyone outside the top six they're usually played at walking pace and the away team usually looks beaten in the tunnel. Even Real/Barca away to those teams can be the same, played in half empty stadiums. They can appear very one sided which is probably why people over here think the quality isn't there but I think it's more to do with mentality. English teams will always work hard and be physical to make up for lack of quality and that makes it harder for the big teams to roll over the small teams, in Spain the refs would never let that happen.

Yes, fair comments.

 

[Eeyore]

It's really tragic that he's had to leave his beloved Barcelona, but good for him, he's decided to go and play somewhere else and for a team he doesn't really want to play for. It's good to know it's not about the money - he mustt be congratulated for just wanting to play football as long as he can, whatever the financial sacrifices he has had to make.
Luckily, he's been on a decent wage fr a few years, so should be able to get by. #PrayforMessi.

I agree, imagine only being offered £250k a week ? I'm not sure how someone with millions in the bank could survive on that. He's got mouths to feed.