[Football] Messi leaving Barcelona

[Swansman]

It's a completely different situation. There's 3reasons he won't fancy the Premier League.

1) Comfort zone. Every time he's got out of his comfort zone in the last 5 years or so, he's looked well, uncomfortable. World Cups, Champs leagues etc Adding goals 3, 5 and 6 against Girona, I grant you, he looks terrific.
2) The relative strength of the mid lower teams is increasing year on year in the PL compared to other leagues, due to the TV money, he knows he's on the wane, he wants to glitter rather than slog. PSG looks a decent fit on that front.
3) Anywhere he goes he wants to basically be in charge. Won't happen here.

1. Clueless.

2015/16 CL: 7 games, 6 goals (3 vs Arsenal, 2 vs Roma, 1 vs Leverkusen)
2016/17 CL: 9 games, 11 goals (5 vs Celtic, 4 vs City, 1 B. Mönchengladbach, 1 vs PSG)
2017/18 CL: 10 games, 6 goals (3 vs Chelsea, 2 vs Juventtus, 1 vs Olympiakos)
2018/19 CL: 10 games, 12 goals (4 vs PSV, 2 vs Spurs, 2 vs Man Utd, 2 vs Liverpool, 2 vs Lyon)
2019/10 CL: 8 games, 3 goals (1 vs B. Dortmund, 1 vs Napoli, 1 vs Slavia Prag)

2. La Liga is stronger than the PL from top to bottom. These days its not even particularly close. Sure the PL sides have money but the native players in Spain are generally a level above the English ones and the imports from South America not necessarily worse (just cheaper) than the ones from Europe.

 

[The Fits]

1. Clueless.

2015/16 CL: 7 games, 6 goals (3 vs Arsenal, 2 vs Roma, 1 vs Leverkusen)
2016/17 CL: 9 games, 11 goals (5 vs Celtic, 4 vs City, 1 B. Mönchengladbach, 1 vs PSG)
2017/18 CL: 10 games, 6 goals (3 vs Chelsea, 2 vs Juventtus, 1 vs Olympiakos)
2018/19 CL: 10 games, 12 goals (4 vs PSV, 2 vs Spurs, 2 vs Man Utd, 2 vs Liverpool, 2 vs Lyon)
2019/10 CL: 8 games, 3 goals (1 vs B. Dortmund, 1 vs Napoli, 1 vs Slavia Prag)

2. La Liga is stronger than the PL from top to bottom. These days its not even particularly close. Sure the PL sides have money but the native players in Spain are generally a level above the English ones and the imports from South America not necessarily worse (just cheaper) than the ones from Europe.

I think point 2 is very debatable. Everything that i've read about and listened to about Messi leaving last night and this morning has suggested Barca are in utter turmoil and that La Liga without Messi (and having lost Ronaldo and Neymar over the last few years) it's at risk of becoming way more inferior than imaginable a couple of seasons ago.

 

[blue-shifted]

1. Clueless.

2015/16 CL: 7 games, 6 goals (3 vs Arsenal, 2 vs Roma, 1 vs Leverkusen)
2016/17 CL: 9 games, 11 goals (5 vs Celtic, 4 vs City, 1 B. Mönchengladbach, 1 vs PSG)
2017/18 CL: 10 games, 6 goals (3 vs Chelsea, 2 vs Juventtus, 1 vs Olympiakos)
2018/19 CL: 10 games, 12 goals (4 vs PSV, 2 vs Spurs, 2 vs Man Utd, 2 vs Liverpool, 2 vs Lyon)
2019/10 CL: 8 games, 3 goals (1 vs B. Dortmund, 1 vs Napoli, 1 vs Slavia Prag)

2. La Liga is stronger than the PL from top to bottom. These days its not even particularly close. Sure the PL sides have money but the native players in Spain are generally a level above the English ones and the imports from South America not necessarily worse (just cheaper) than the ones from Europe.

Good morning. Not going to argue with those terrific CL goal stats. However, there's still a nagging doubt there for me and I think a few others, that when not at the head of an all conquering team, like with Argentina, or the current dysfunctional Barca side, he may not sparkle in the same way. That's why I think PSG, if indeed he has any intention of going anywhere. He's looked at the Amiens defence and fancies it, getting elbowed by Ben Mee ..... less so

 

[Swansman]

I think point 2 is very debatable. Everything that i've read about and listened to about Messi leaving last night and this morning has suggested Barca are in utter turmoil and that La Liga without Messi (and having lost Ronaldo and Neymar over the last few years) it's at risk of becoming way more inferior than imaginable a couple of seasons ago.

Point 2 will always be debatable since its very rare the mid/bottom teams from leagues meet eachother, and there is really no way of knowing.

Personally I'm pretty convinced though, it has fluctuated over the years and in the mid 00s I would have said PL without any doubt but things have changed as Spain is reaping the benefits from discovering the value of youth academies and youth development about 20 years before the English sides did.

I think in 10 years PL is very likely to be the stronger league again as the millions (billions?) invested in youth development will start to show more and more.

 

[blue-shifted]

And Swans I get that you find the British under-rating of Messi peculiar.

Here's my theory on that.

Pay TV is bloody expensive in the UK. For that reason, TV audiences for football will be 10 to 20 times greater (figures guessed) for a game on BBC or ITV than one on Sky or BT. I think the most watched PL game in British history was a totally mundane mid table one they had post lockdown on BBC.

To make it in the court of British opinion, (which I'm sure is his Lionel's primary concern), you have to do it either in the Prem or the world cup where we can see it happening. Maradona is disliked, but thought of, as a better player than Messi, as we've seen first hand him take someone apart. Us. Personally, I've heard mates with sky say Messi is that good, and yeh his goal stats are great, but every time I've settled down to watch a world cup I've been a bit ... meh

 

[GT49er]

I just wonder if in the real post Covid world Messi might actually find that his next contract isn't quite as lucrative as the one he's on at the moment. Of course, he might be one of the few who values his last few years of playing football higher than money - he could certainly afford to - but I doubt it.

Still, Danny Mills on SSN said he could join up with Bielsa at Leeds ..............................

 

[vagabond]

1. Clueless.

2015/16 CL: 7 games, 6 goals (3 vs Arsenal, 2 vs Roma, 1 vs Leverkusen)
2016/17 CL: 9 games, 11 goals (5 vs Celtic, 4 vs City, 1 B. Mönchengladbach, 1 vs PSG)
2017/18 CL: 10 games, 6 goals (3 vs Chelsea, 2 vs Juventtus, 1 vs Olympiakos)
2018/19 CL: 10 games, 12 goals (4 vs PSV, 2 vs Spurs, 2 vs Man Utd, 2 vs Liverpool, 2 vs Lyon)
2019/10 CL: 8 games, 3 goals (1 vs B. Dortmund, 1 vs Napoli, 1 vs Slavia Prag)

2. La Liga is stronger than the PL from top to bottom. These days its not even particularly close. Sure the PL sides have money but the native players in Spain are generally a level above the English ones and the imports from South America not necessarily worse (just cheaper) than the ones from Europe.

I don’t have the stats to hand, but how have Spanish clubs fared in the Champions League in recent seasons?

That’s probably a good metric if you’re having this debate.

 

[Swansman]

I don’t have the stats to hand, but how have Spanish clubs fared in the Champions League in recent seasons?

That’s probably a good metric if you’re having this debate.

Its a pretty poor metric since we are talking about the leagues in general and not just the top teams.

It would be a pretty advantageous metric for La Liga though. Spanish teams have 15 straight victories when facing foreign opposition in CL/EL finals and are ahead in the coefficient https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/#/yr/2020

 

[British Bulldog]

You can almost imagine Messi going to City and Ronaldo going back to Utd? How much money would that bring to the Premier League in TV rights?

 

[beorhthelm]

To make it in the court of British opinion, (which I'm sure is his Lionel's primary concern), you have to do it either in the Prem or the world cup where we can see it happening. Maradona is disliked, but thought of, as a better player than Messi, as we've seen first hand him take someone apart. Us. Personally, I've heard mates with sky say Messi is that good, and yeh his goal stats are great, but every time I've settled down to watch a world cup I've been a bit ... meh

best example of this is world cups, in Argentine sides not really firing on all cylinders, Messi showed flashes of brilliance but hardly lit up the tournament.

 

[blue-shifted]

best example of this is world cups, in Argentine sides not really firing on all cylinders, Messi showed flashes of brilliance but hardly lit up the tournament.

Many people remember seeing Diego managing to drag an ordinary team to a tournament win and Leo not being able to do so and draw the conclusion from that. Probably that is harsh, but if you seek exulted company, the biggest stages are where you'll be judged. Messi's domestic goal record is staggering, but playing for a club which typically has 100x the resources of your opponents is a modern phenomenon and in my mind has to be weighed in the balance against the claims of present day players

 

[Drumstick]

Some Leeds fans on twitter suggesting he’s going there.

‘He said in 2014 he’d love to play for Beilsa one day’ and so on.


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[AmexRuislip]

[tweet]1298542209097244672[/tweet]

 

[beorhthelm]

very Messy situation now, he's a no show for covid test reckons he can leave, while La Liga wading. imagine the EPL putting thier oar in on a players tranfer?

 

[Swansman]

very Messy situation now, he's a no show for covid test reckons he can leave, while La Liga wading. imagine the EPL putting thier oar in on a players tranfer?

According to the media reports over in Spain, City seems like the most likely destination.

 

[Hugo Rune]

very Messy situation now, he's a no show for covid test reckons he can leave, while La Liga wading. imagine the EPL putting thier oar in on a players tranfer?

Barca should just let him go.

After all he has done for that club - he’s 33 FFS.

(I obviously want to see him play at the Amex with Citeh but don’t care who it is for as long as it’s not Leeds or Palace).

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Barca should just let him go.

After all he has done for that club - he’s 33 FFS.

(I obviously want to see him play at the Amex with Citeh but don’t care who it is for as long as it’s not Leeds or Palace).

They need to rebuild the squad and he’s worth close to 100 million

Why would they just let him go?

 

[Palacefinder General]

Barca should just let him go.

After all he has done for that club - he’s 33 FFS.

(I obviously want to see him play at the Amex with Citeh but don’t care who it is for as long as it’s not Leeds or Palace).

Bound to be A Town Called Malice FC isn't it? Same home strip, include Luka Milivojevic in the deal and Messi can use his old training kit, plus Camp Nou is pretty run down. It'd be like home from home for wor Lionel.

 

[vegster]

Anyone have any workarounds for his 700m Euros release clause ?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Barca should just let him go.

After all he has done for that club - he’s 33 FFS.

(I obviously want to see him play at the Amex with Citeh but don’t care who it is for as long as it’s not Leeds or Palace).

Don’t under estimate Andros Townsend


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