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Lionel Messi seemed ready to leave Barcelona this summer after falling into the club’s hierarchy. But now that President Josep Maria Bartomeu and the rest of the board have resigned, what does it mean for Messi’s future?
Messi demanded to leave Barcelona over the summer, publicly criticizing the board in the process, after his relationship with the club’s president had soured.
Although Barcelona managed to keep Messi, in part due to his € 700 million buyout clause, his chances of retaining the Argentine international beyond this season seemed remote with his contract about to expire, but has the situation changed? now?
Messi and Gerard Piqué were critical of the outgoing Barcelona board
Sky Sports News obtained the opinion of two Spanish football experts to examine what Bartomeu’s departure could mean for Messi …
Graham Hunter admits that Bartomeu’s resignation opens the door, albeit slightly, for Messi to sign a new contract and remain at Barcelona. But he is convinced that Barcelona’s problems are so widespread that it will take more than a change of president to convince the six-time Ballon d’Or winner to stay at the Camp Nou.
“It is definitely doable [that Bartomeu’s exit could pave the way for Messi to stay at Barcelona]Hunter said.
“Messi, among the many things he complained about when he sent the certified delivery letter to the club saying he wanted to leave, a lot of things didn’t change in the meantime.
But he said that Bartomeu had lied to him, and said all season: ‘We will talk about letting you go at the end of the season, maybe you can go for free. Bartomeu denied it, refused to let Messi go and therefore his withdrawal has to be a source of satisfaction for Lionel Messi.
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“But does it solve all the problems Messi was talking about? His need to win the Champions League again, his desire to be on a competitive side, doesn’t change everything. It could bring [presidential candidate] Víctor Font and Xavi, two people who are very supportive of Messi. It could lead to a new era in which signings can be better, where a game system that used to be established with Pep Guardiola and Frank Rijkaard and Tito Vilanova is restored. But will those things happen automatically now that Bartomeu is gone? Not.
“I want to leave you with the image that Lionel Messi is playing for a club that, at the moment, is in its greatest state of turmoil since World War II and, therefore, how does Messi choose what to do next? “. to know.”
Álvaro Montero agrees. However, he emphasizes that the result of the next presidential elections in Barcelona will have enormous repercussions for the future Messi. He says that if former Barça president Joan Laporta, who oversaw the appointment of Pep Guardiola in 2008, is re-elected, it will mean that Messi is much more likely to stay.
Lionel Messi wanted to leave last summer and now he sees the possibility of staying, if for example Joan Laporta arrives [as new president], because his relationship with Messi is fantastic, “said Montero Sky Sports News.
“He could stay, yes, for sure. It depends on the directors and the new president. With Bartomeu there was no possibility but with a new president, in the case of Joan Laporta, his chances of staying in Barcelona are enormous.”
And Koeman?
Ronald Koeman was hired as Barcelona’s head coach in the summer by Bartomeu, suggesting that his days at the club could be counted on with the arrival of a new president.
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Víctor Font, one of the main candidates to replace Bartomeu as president of Barcelona, is determined to bring Xavi Hernández back to the Camp Nou and install him as a coach. Meanwhile, Toni Freixa, another candidate running for the job, has offered his support to Koeman and backed him to succeed.
So what does Bartomeu’s departure mean to Koeman?
Hunter says “nothing has really changed for Koeman in the meantime” as the Dutchman would have known Bartomeu would be replaced sooner or later, adding that it will be a welcome distraction from the 3-1 loss at home to Real Madrid during weekend. .
“No, Koeman won’t worry at all because he’s a wise old man,” Hunter said.
“I knew that Bartomeu was in the last year of his reign. Koeman took this one-year risk. Koeman threw the dice, it was a shot at nothing that he did so well that any president who came in could be forced to stay with him.
“I knew it would be the longest I could get, because the main candidate for the presidential elections is called Víctor Font and he has publicly declared that he will do everything possible to bring Xavi back and turn Xavi into a technician until next June and such. time to play another role for Koeman. But Victor Font, assuming he wins, has said that Koeman would not continue. “
Montero is more optimistic that Koeman could delay Xavi’s return to Camp Nou if the full-back manages to improve his results on the pitch.
Montero said: “Xavi is a good option because some of the presidential candidates have Xavi as a coach. Everyone knows that the natural transition in the future will be Xavi.”
But you have to remember that Ronaldo Koeman has signed for two years until 2022, I suppose that his future depends not only on the president but on his development and results.
“If his results are good, he will stay in Barcelona and Xavi will have to wait.”
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