'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The unthinkable has finally happened - Lionel Messi has finally left Barcelona!
The club announced yesterday that despite both parties being interested in signing a new deal, La Liga's regulations forced Blaugrana to part ways with their talisman. Lionel Messi's contract expired on June 30 and he was supposed to pen his renewal. But now, in a sudden turn of events, the superstar has been forced to leave.
Unsurprisingly, the news has sent shockwaves across the footballing world with the internet going into meltdown, pouring in tributes and also speculating where Lionel Messi's next destination could be.
Trending
But is Messi's departure from the club a year too late? He handed in a transfer request last year but opted to see out the last 12 months of his contract in a massive U-turn.
Here are five reasons why Lionel Messi should've left Barcelona last summer:
#5 Barcelona would've earned some money off his sale
Imagine a player of Lionel Messi's ilk available for absolutely free! Well, it seemed impossible until a few years ago but that is the harsh reality now.
The Argentine star's contract with the club expired on June 30, while he was away on international duty competing in the Copa America, making him a free agent.
Now, with both parties unable to pen a new deal because of La Liga regulations, Messi's status remains the same, meaning he's available on a Bosman.
Had the player forced his way out last year, the club might as well have earned money from his sale, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City willing to pay for Messi's services.
But now, in really amazing circumstances, Messi has left the club the way he first arrived - free of cost.
#4 Lionel Messi's sale could've accelerated rebuilding process
Let's say Messi was indeed bought by either PSG or Manchester City. In that case, Barcelona's coffers would've been full of money. It would certainly have helped them rebuild faster from last year's disastrous run which left them without a trophy.
The prospect of offloading key players like Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez to reduce their wage bills and be able to accommodate new players wouldn't have arisen either.
Instead, Messi leaving without a penny in return makes Barcelona's transfer activity seem even more expensive.
#3 Barcelona's dependency on Messi hit alarming levels
One reason why Barcelona have just not been up to snuff lately is because of their chronic dependency on Messi. He's literally carried the side on his shoulders for three consecutive seasons while the rest of the squad were average at best.
While it yielded a trophy or two, the side came up short in the big games, enduring humiliating results in Europe and even going one whole campaign without any titles.
But there's only so much one player can do, and Messi did his best. It was down to the rest of the bunch to step up, which they rarely have in the past few years. Lionel Messi should've left the club last year for a place where the Argentine could've found support.
#2 Champions League was a distant dream
It's no secret that Barcelona are no longer the force in Europe they used to be. Since clinching their fifth Champions League title in 2015, the side have progressed to the semi-finals just once.
However, nothing was as bad as losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich in 2020, a match that arguably convinced Messi to hand in a transfer request as the club had visibly hit an all-time low.
There were plenty of gaping holes in the side and although Barcelona made a raft of changes in the aftermath, they continued to rely on their talismanic number 10, while the Ronald Koeman project also struggled to take off.
Messi gave this one more shot and the Catalans instead made their earliest exit from the competition in 14 years, which brings us to number one reason why he should've left last year itself.
#1 Messi's legacy was being tarnished
No one wants to see their greatest ever player bow out without celebrating a trophy. But in Messi's case, it would've been the most opportune moment to part ways with his beloved club.
When Barcelona finished titleless last year and finished the campaign with their worst defeat in 74 years, there were calls for the Argentine to leave the club from its fans themselves.
That's because a spate of poor results, coupled with his run-ins with the Barca board, was threatening to tarnish his legacy, while images of him looking frustrated on the field were bursting at the seams too.
Things only served to get uglier between him and those who ran the club last season. Messi was clearly annoyed by their decision to sell Luis Suarez, who not only forged a fearsome attacking partnership on the field with him, but also shared a close bond off it.
With Barcelona reaching their lowest point in recent memory in 2020, perhaps Messi should've called time on his career at the club too and made way for them to herald a new era.
