Lionel Messi dropped a bombshell on Barcelona on Tuesday by informing the Catalan giants he wants to leave the club after two decades of service.
Unsurprisingly, the news set Twitter alight with the Argentina international, who is widely regarded as the best footballer in the world, looking set for a shock departure ahead of the start of the new La Liga season.
Messi has a contract with Barcelona until next summer but has informed the club he wants to activate a clause that will allow him to leave now, according to TyC Sports. Yet there is some debate about the validity of the clause, with Barcelona believing it expired in June.
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Where Next for Barcelona?
It’s not at all clear if Messi will be granted his wish to leave this summer or if he will have to wait until his contract expires in 2021. However, Twitter was quick to find potential new homes for the Barcelona captain:
Wonder if Messi has ever thought of trying out baseball 🤔
Just looking through old photos
Meanwhile, Spanish side Leganes offered Barcelona some advice on how to keep hold of Messi by offering the services of defender Unai Bustinza.
Let us call Bustinza… He can solve this in a minute! 😉
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Fans and Team-mates Support Messi
Barcelona supporters and team-mates past and present also took to Twitter to offer some support to Messi. Carles Puyol sent a message to the Barcelona captain that drew applause from Luis Suarez.
Carles Puyol and Luis Suarez react to Messi’s decision to leave Barcelona.
Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal also produced a post that seemed to be aimed at Messi and Barcelona. He wrote: “When you corner a tiger he does not give up, he fights!”
Cuando acorralas a un tigre el no se rinde, el pelea!!!💪🏽👑😉👍🏽🐯
President of Catalonia, Qim Torra, also sent a message of farewell to Messi, thanking the forward for all his service to the club.
📱 [@QuimTorraiPla – Catalonia president] |
“Catalonia will always be your home. Thank you so much for all this time of happiness and brilliant football.
We have been lucky enough to share a few years of our lives with GOAT. And a noble athlete We will never forget you, Leo”
Elsewhere, supporters of Barcelona could not hide their frustration at the news that Messi could be about to wave goodbye to the club. Some fans protested outside the club’s stadium and called for the resignation of president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Barcelona fans have gathered outside Camp Nou and are chanting “Bartomeu out!” 😡
The Numbers Game
Messi’s shock news also prompted a reminder of just how special a player the Argentine is and the many records he has set during his long spell at the Camp Nou..
The 33-year-old has won all the major trophies available, picking up six Ballon d’Or titles, and made a habit of breaking records left, right and center for Barcelona.
634 – Lionel Messi is the @FCBarcelona‘s Top Scorer ever (634 goals) & only Xavi Hernández (767 games) has played more games than the Argentinian (731) for Barça in all competitions. Institution
Messi’s goal and assist stats for every La Liga season
2020-21:
👕 0
🅰 0
Lionel Messi in Europe’s top five divisions since 2017-18:
❍ Most goals
❍ Most assists
❍ Most goals from outside the box
❍ Most direct free-kicks scored
❍ Most take-ons completed
❍ Most big chances created
❍ Most through balls
❍ Most final ⅓ passes
You get the idea.
Lionel Messi in LaLiga 2019/20
🥇 Goals – 25
🥇 Assists – 21
🥇 MotM Awards – 22
🥇 Shots – 159
🥇 Shots on Target – 71
🥇 Free-kick Goals – 5
🥇 Key Passes – 89
🥇 Big Chances Created – 36
🥇 Successful Dribbles – 182
🥇 Accurate Through Balls – 21
🥇 Passes in Opp. Half – 1797
Another crucial number is the figure in Messi’s buyout clause. It is currently set at an eye-popping €700 million. Barcelona’s current position is that if any club want to land the Argentine they would need to trigger this clause.
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Twitter Reacts To Lionel Messi Wanting to Leave Barcelona