Barca must countenance a Messi exit

Over the course of the last few days, an interview that Lionel Messi gave to a Catalan newspaper has received widespread coverage.

The reason for the same has been because it was arguably the most in-depth the Barca captain has been in some time, in response to a tough line of questioning.

Moreover, it was an extensive interview covering all topics, with seemingly nothing off limits.

Not even the thought of Messi earning his living elsewhere.As unpalatable a thought as that may be to many, Barca will have to make do without Leo permanently in a few years, and they’re getting used to his absence this season because of a niggling injury.

What the club can’t be blind to of course, is the potential for a transfer of their finest ever exponent.

They only need recall their insouciance when it was heavily rumoured that Neymar would leave and sign for Paris Saint-Germain.

On that occasion, it’s entirely likely that the Brazilian was going to go in any event, but the fact that Barcelona made no attempt to make him stay because they never actually countenanced that he could go, surely played a part.

Messi made no secret in the interview of saying that Barcelona was his home, but that he wanted to win things.

It was a veiled threat, quickly picked up on by the various media outlets looking for a headline.

The club captain even went as far as suggesting that, perhaps, Barca’s board didn’t go far enough in their pursuit of Neymar, after it became clear he was available and PSG were ready to send him back to Catalonia.

The Champions League is a longed-for trophy, and by the time of next year’s final, it will be five long years since they last won it – against Juventus in Berlin.

For a club of the stature of Barcelona, and with the best player in the world in situ, that’s far too long.

Moreover, it’s damaging Messi’s legacy at the club. He’s almost single-handedly dragged them to success over the past couple of seasons, and now it’s about time his team-mates stepped up and the board gave him what he needs to positively affect things.

He is, after all, getting no younger, even if the standards of his work remain at a ridiculously high level.

We’ve four months until the next transfer window, but you can bet your last pound that Messi will be taking a keen interest.

And don’t be surprised to see the vultures start circling if there’s even a slight chance Leo might consider a move.

They’ve had their fingers burned before, so Barca have to be ready for it this time…

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