By Nazir Jarmaj
After 21 years, the love story between Messi and Barcelona has ended. 778 games, 672 goals, 6 Ballon d’Ors and 34 team trophies are elite achievements. Messi will definitely be remembered as the greatest player in the history of Barcelona for what he has achieved but what lies ahead in the future for Barcelona after losing a gem like Messi might be a bit difficult than they thought.
Barcelona had the chance to keep Messi if they had agreed to the CVC Capital Partners deal which guaranteed them around €270 million and will allow them to confirm Messi’s new contract but Laporta refused the deal insisting nobody is bigger than Barcelona even though in the last decade the Argentine was obviously bigger than the Catalan Club.
Barcelona is expected to lose €50 million in taxes, €950 million in sponsorship contracts, €111 euros profit from Messi’s photos, €55 million from Rakuten, €19 million from Beko, €175 million in ticket revenue especially from outside of Spain and €3.9 billion as the market value decreased, among other losses. And not only Barca are expecting losses on their books, Laliga is also expected to lose €3.4 billion for the period of 3years with Spanish Telecom Company threatening the cancellation of the contract. These are only incoming losses not forgetting the Spanish club is owed €1 billion in debt from the Bartemou era.
On the field, Ronald Koeman will have a bigger task this time around as he looks to improve a side who finished 3rd last season on this occasion without their best player. New signings Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal are not registered so far due to the Laliga salary cap, the same rule that made Barcelona lost Messi. Aguero has already been ruled out for 10 weeks as Barcelona has confirmed. So, Memphis will be the creative leader together with Antoine Griezmann while young forwards and playmakers Yusuf Demir, Riqui Puig and Alex Collado will be potential beneficiaries from Messi’s departure. Returning Ansu Fati will add some spark in the front line while Dembele continues to nurse his injury. Pedri, Frankie De Jong and new captain Sergio Busquets keep the midfield in good hands for the meantime. Barcelona have got a decent squad but they will be lacking experience and missing Messi’s moments of magic and brilliance. Barcelona has long needed a rebuild and now seems the right time as the project will no longer be handcuffed by Leo Messi’s huge wages.
Messi has joined Paris Saint-Germain on a 2years contract earning £25 million per season. This shows why Barcelona can’t keep him. Paris Saint-Germain will have a front three that consist of Neymar, Mbappe and Messi which gives the super team from Paris the chance of winning the biggest prize in European football history for the first time. This front three will make a lot remembering the Messi, Neymar Suarez pairing back in 2015 where they won almost everything.
PSG that have secured the signings of Gianluigi Donnarumma, former Real Madrid Captain Sergio Ramos and Wijnaldum together with Messi for free gives them an upper hand in this season’s Champions League chase as many sports pundits have said even though yours sincerely don’t see the coveted prize going to Paris anytime soon. They still lack leaders. Of course, they’ve signed Ramos but Ramos alone can’t handle this set of bottlers. It is only the pregnant time that will tell as events in the football world unfolds.
Jarmajo is the publisher of kurra.com.ng
