Lionel Messi’s tremendously emotional farewell press conference at the Nou Camp made clear
that he had been hugely surprised and saddened by how things had played out over the previous
couple of days, that up until the very last moment, he still expected and had been assured
that he would continue as a Barcelona player.
That was evident from how Messi struggled for words as he stepped up to the podium and
looked out at so many present and past team-mates who were also fighting back tears and struggling
to take on board what they were witnessing.
When he did speak, the emotion and power of his message were blatantly obvious, his bonds
with the club and city where he made his career and his life still as strong as ever.
If it had been up to him he would be continuing as a Barcelona player, for sure.
But it was also just as evident that neither Messi, his father and agent Jorge, nor their
legal advisors, fully understood how the combination of La Liga’s financial controls and Barcelona’s
awful finances had made continuing that career and life absolutely impossible.
But who was aware about this situation?
Laporta and the Barcelona Board.
Joan Laporta and his Barcelona board knew the bones of the situation, both before and
after Laporta was re-elected for a second spell as club president in March.
They were all well aware the club would have to make huge cuts to their wage bill, and
bring in significant transfer revenues in this window, for there to be any chance of
Messi staying on.
La Liga’s president Javier Tebas was also 100% clear all through the summer that there
could be no exceptions to the competition’s financial fair play regulations, even for
a six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
When Laporta kept publicly asking for flexibility, Tebas each time firmly replied that he would
like Messi to stay, but it was up to Barcelona to find a way for that to happen within the
existing regulations.
So, this sums up that Barcelona board was completely aware of the actions to take if
they really wanted Lionel Messi to stay.
The Messi camp was led to believe, or wanted to believe, that everything would turn out
OK, that he could keep earning quite a lot of money, while playing for the club he loves
in the city he and his family love.
That was a complete misreading of the situation, as they have only realised at the last moment.
Messi himself said in his last public interview, seven months ago, that “things at the moment
are really, really bad”.
It was also clear that their €1.3 billion debts meant that the club’s salary bill
would have to drop significantly from its 2019-20 peak of €671 million to not more
than €200 million for 2021-22.
In other words, from paying the most wages in world sport to being somewhere around the
level of what Everton or Aston Villa spend on salaries.
Despite this situation, Barcelona actually began this summer by adding more players to
their squad form the likes of Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia, Emerson Royal.
As per reports of mid-July that neither Messi nor the four new players could be registered
for the new season unless savings of at least €200 million were found.
But nothing really happened.
Barcelona cut a few million here and there by moving on kids and squad players such as
Junior Firpo and Carles Alena.
The biggest earners on the wage bill like Ousman Dembele, Philippe Coutinho and Antoine
Griezmann all remained in place.
Even Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic are still there, despite blatant attempts to force
them out of the club in recent weeks.
And yet Laporta and much of the Catalan sports press continued to spread the word that it
would all be fine, that a way would be found for Messi to continue at the club.
That attitude was taken into the negotiations with Messi’s father last month.
Both sides say the negotiations were not difficult, the 34-year-old player quickly agreed to accept
a 50 per cent pay cut and to play for Barcelona for two more seasons but to receive the money
over five years.
That was a piece of accounting sleight of hand that, it was claimed, would be more acceptable
to Tebas and La Liga’s accountants.
That was the agreement Messi thought was in place when he went to Ibiza for the final
leg of his pre-season break in late July.
While Messi was in Ibiza, Laporta was his usual confident and unruffled self and continued
to spread the idea that it was all on course to be sorted.
Now, when Messi popped back from Ibiza to sign the contract that had already been agreed,
the player’s camp was convinced these La Liga regulations were not going to be a problem.
Laporta said clearly on Friday that even with Messi’s salary cut, Barcelona’s wages
would be at 110 per cent of the club revenues.
La Liga rules demand a ratio of 70 per cent.
Messi confirmed that himself on Sunday morning, “I had lowered my salary by 50 per cent,
that was agreed, and the club did not ask me for anything else after that.”
This quashed the idea floating around some quarters that the 34-year-old could have accepted
an even lower salary, or just agreed to play next season for free, to help the club he
loves out.
The debate is over when someone at the very top of his profession, who is still good enough
to score 30 La Liga goals in 35 appearances last season then lead his country to win the
Copa America a month ago, should make such a gesture be put aside.
Messi was very clear through subsequent Question and Answer sessions with journalists that
he did not want to leave behind any bad feelings towards Barcelona or their fans.
He was still in love with the club, saw himself returning “in whatever role” at some point
in the future, and that the city he moved to as a 13-year-old would always be ­“home”
for him.
It hurt him hugely to be saying goodbye this way, to not even have a send-off in a full
Nou Camp, and he wanted the fans to know that.
“I feel very sad as I have to leave this club, a club I love, in a moment I did not
expect,” Messi said.
“I never lie, I have always been up front, told the truth.
Last year I wanted to leave.
This year, no, that’s why I’m sad.”
“Everyone was clear that I would continue, it was all sorted, we have always been sincere
with the fans — at least, I have,” he said.
“On my side, I have never tricked the fans.”
The impression was left that it was the Barcelona side who had not been completely forthcoming
with the truth.
Laporta and his fellow directors and executives were surely well aware of how difficult it
was going to be to keep Messi at the club, no matter what salary he was or wasn’t being
paid, but they continued in public and private to push the idea that all the problems could
be resolved and he would be able to stay.
This is how he is leaving Barcelona, against his will, and having suffered what was clearly
an emotional breaking of the connection, and quite possibly traumatic shock.
It now looks very like both he and his father were completely unrealistic, or even naive,
in accepting what they were told about how everything would work out fine.
Now life must go on, for both parties.
But Messi has yet to even begin to really move on from the club, and city, he loves.
What do you guys think?
What is the real problem here?
Do mention it in the comment section below.
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