Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

[BillyShears]

Anyone else struggling to even believe all this? I'm not gonna lie, I've been awake since half six and the main reason is I opened my eyes, looked at my phone, and was immediately reminded that Leo Messi wants to join Man City. Wow.

We should have some sort of moratorium on some of the 'analysis' people seem to be delivering whether it be the clowns in the media talking the move down or the clowns on here talking it down.

Leo Messi wants to join Manchester City. The greatest player ever in the history of the game wants to come and play football at the Etihad. For us.

If we pull this off, I'm not sure there's enough drinks in the world to celebrate with.

 

[dadv1]

I thought Balague's article on the BBC web-site was quite a good take on matters although it is rapidly changing as news emerges.

I agree with his comment that if Messi moves on then talented players in the Barcelona side will be able to grow. I actually think it is the case that Messi's presence in the Barcelona team actually inhibits their redevelopment and that Messi moving on would be good for Barcelona. I think their bosses should get to grips with events and start to control it in Barcelona's interest. I thought moving Suarez on and the older players at the end of their contract could actually be a good proactive move but it has to be done openly with the consent of all. That requires good open management and communication. At the moment it appears that Koeman has been sent in to do a hatchet job.

It did cross my mind when Koeman came in and he communicated with players that he was trying to get Messi out (Suarez, comments about no special favours to players etc). I don't know how true that was. Could barca be playing a smarter game than we think i.e. get Messi out but do it on the quiet and at the same time get a fee for him?

I think it is possible to hold a view that Messi moving on can be beneficial for both clubs. It will free Messi from carrying a side to just playing a limited role where his game complements the team.

On a completely unrelated point I think some City fans should be a little bit more realistic about what Messi can produce. I was watching videos of Messi last night, and it's clear that the Messi who broke into the Barcelona side now is different to the Messi that plays now. The one in his mid-20s could just turn on the after-burners with the ball tied to his foot and dribble past players with ease. Those videos are incredible. That is not the Messi I see now. However, he is still a wonderfully gifted player. I think he will be devastating in the final third, and he could also play a central but perhaps more static role in midfield organising a game with his passing. We should have a think about how Pep would make best use of him.

Not much agree. Because Messi was playing under shitty managers. Example:

Frank Rijkaard, he start playing and was good.
Guardiola: his prime.
Tito Vilanova: Down performance as Barcelona this season.
Tata Martino: Who is him?
Luis Enrique: his prime again.
Valverde: 2 levels down as Barcelona in Europe.
Setien: Who is him?

If you have a bad management, you can't expect awesome results. Messi is a player, not the whole team. Guardiola can bring back his prime again. 1000% sure.

 

[dadv1]

Some people are fearing shadows and have fallen for the propaganda machine that is Barca board.
I have no doubt he'll be a humble guy who will do what Pep asks him to do.

I think this breadth of fresh air will do world of good to him, he hasn't been happy at Barca for years despite being the main man all the time.

Who is happy in a work where you owned president is talking shit about you in the shadow with spain media? just fuck Bartomeu and his management. For real.

 

[Marvin]

Anyone else struggling to even believe all this? I'm not gonna lie, I've been awake since half six and the main reason is I opened my eyes, looked at my phone, and was immediately reminded that Leo Messi wants to join Man City. Wow.

We should have some sort of moratorium on some of the 'analysis' people seem to be delivering whether it be the clowns in the media talking the move down or the clowns on here talking it down.

Leo Messi wants to join Manchester City. The greatest player ever in the history of the game wants to come and play football at the Etihad. For us.

If we pull this off, I'm not sure there's enough drinks in the world to celebrate with.

Can you comment on the contractual situation?

The reports on twitter state that his release clause has expired. Can this be so? Can employment contracts evolve like that, and revert back to some norm? I would have thought that once a clause was introduced it would stay unless it stated that it was for the season 2019-20?

 

[Centurions]

Anyone else struggling to even believe all this? I'm not gonna lie, I've been awake since half six and the main reason is I opened my eyes, looked at my phone, and was immediately reminded that Leo Messi wants to join Man City. Wow.

We should have some sort of moratorium on some of the 'analysis' people seem to be delivering whether it be the clowns in the media talking the move down or the clowns on here talking it down.

Leo Messi wants to join Manchester City. The greatest player ever in the history of the game wants to come and play football at the Etihad. For us.

If we pull this off, I'm not sure there's enough drinks in the world to celebrate with.

Nah, he's not 19 anymore (shocker, right?). We'd be better off with Grealish (according to some).

 

[Bob Smiles]

Here is the full interview with respected Argentine journalist Veronica Brunati.

 

[Leong157]

I'm a Barca fan. This is my first post. I'm gonna drop this here and disappear

 

[MCFC ISRAEL]

I wonder if there is an impact on the sale of the team's jerseys because of the saga with Messi. I for example wanted to order 2 jerseys before this whole story popped up and decided to wait a bit because there is no chance I will not buy a City jersey with the name of the greatest player in history on it.

 

[blueinsa]

Anyone else struggling to even believe all this? I'm not gonna lie, I've been awake since half six and the main reason is I opened my eyes, looked at my phone, and was immediately reminded that Leo Messi wants to join Man City. Wow.

We should have some sort of moratorium on some of the 'analysis' people seem to be delivering whether it be the clowns in the media talking the move down or the clowns on here talking it down.

Leo Messi wants to join Manchester City. The greatest player ever in the history of the game wants to come and play football at the Etihad. For us.

If we pull this off, I'm not sure there's enough drinks in the world to celebrate with.

I gave up on the transfer forum around 3 years ago. The excitement had gone.

This however is on another level.

 

[Marvin]

Not much agree. Because Messi was playing under shitty managers. Example:

Frank Rijkaard, he start playing and was good.
Guardiola: his prime.
Tito Vilanova: Down performance as Barcelona this season.
Tata Martino: Who is him?
Luis Enrique: his prime again.
Valverde: 2 levels down as Barcelona in Europe.
Setien: Who is him?

If you have a bad management, you can't expect awesome results. Messi is a player, not the whole team. Guardiola can bring back his prime again. 1000% sure.

I have seen enough in Messi to know that he would be a huge asset to City. At Barcelona he seems to be used at the very centre of the team and it has just become too much. At city we create a lot of good attacking situations but despite the high number of goals we are still very wasteful. Players do not kill the opponent off,they pass the ball on and I think Messi will be much more ruthless in the final third.

I am afraid that I cannot comment on the modern history of Barcelona except to say that I think for a period Messi was so good that you could just say just give the ball to Messi. Now we have to be able to use the team to get the ball to him in positions where he can do damage. He should be untouchable in the penalty area.