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On Thursday evening, the footballing world was rocked by the news that Lionel Messi was officially leaving Barcelona after more than two decades with the club.
The Argentina international's contract with the Catalans ended in June, and he went on to end his international trophy drought soon after.
Following this, it was expected that Lionel Messi would agree fresh terms with Barcelona, with president Joan Laporta stating as much. There were even unconfirmed reports that the 34-year-old had agreed to a new five-year contract pending an official announcement.
Through all this, Lionel Messi's camp was mute on what the future held for him. The arrival of his close friend Sergio Aguero seemingly pointed in the direction of him staying put at Camp Nou.
However, on Thursday, Barcelona dropped the bombshell that Lionel Messi would be leaving the club in an official statement. It was revealed that all parties had agreed terms to a new deal, but "financial and structural obstacles" prevented the deal from being finalized.
Explaining further, Barcelona stated that Spanish La Liga regulations on player registration hampered the deal, and this might not be unconnected to the club's current financial peril.
Lionel Messi had initially wanted to leave Camp Nou in the summer of 2020, citing personal discontent with the direction the club was headed. However, threats and counterthreats forced him to rescind his decision and see out the final year of his contract.
How did Lionel Messi fare at Barcelona?
Lionel Messi's origins at Barcelona are well-documented, with the club having brought him over from Rosario in Argentina as a 13-year-old.
Over the next 20 years, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner inarguably became the singular greatest player in the club's history. His displays on the field played no small part in helping to reposition the Blaugrana at the summit of the domestic and continental game.
Messi's numbers at Barcelona are the stuff of legend. With 778 appearances in all competitions, he is the player with the most appearances in the club's 122-year history.
He is also the club's most decorated player, with 34 major trophies won in the colors of the Blaugrana. These included 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League crowns and seven Copa Del Rey crowns, with two continental trebles coming in 2009 and 2015.
On a personal level, Lionel Messi was also immensely decorated as a Barcelona player. The pinnacle of his individual honors are his six Ballons d'Or, in addition to several Golden Boots and Best Player awards.
Ultimately, there is a form of an anti-climatic end to Lionel Messi's sojourn at Barcelona, but it takes nothing away from his iconic standing in the club's history.
Lionel Messi scored 672 goals and provided 305 assists for Barcelona across all competitions, and it goes without saying that his output will be sorely missed by the Blaugrana.
That long-dreaded post-Messi future is now here, and Barcelona must focus on maintaining their high standards without the greatest player in their history.
It goes without saying that some players must step up to the plate in Lionel Messi's absence if the club are to have any chance of retaining any modicum of success in the coming seasons.
Here are five Barcelona players who must step up in Lionel Messi's absence.
#5 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele's Barcelona career has been a huge disappointment considering the huge outlay expended on signing him from Borussia Dortmund.
The France international was signed for a then club-record fee (£97 million) ostensibly as Neymar's replacement. However, things have gone horribly wrong for him in the last four years. He injured his hamstring in his first start for the club, and that was a sign of things to come.
Since then, Dembele has spent more time on the treatment table than he has on the field, which is far from the output Barcelona expected when they signed him in 2017.
The former Rennes man remains a quality player on his day, with his pace and direct style of play a useful weapon in any attack. However, his terrible fitness record and supposed lack of professionalism has seen him fail to attain his potential.
Lionel Messi's departure will put extra pressure on Dembele to perform, but whether he will stay fit enough to do so remains to be seen.
#4 Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho is another big-money signing for whom things have gone horribly wrong at Barcelona.
The Brazil international was courted for a long time by the Blaugrana before they finally landed their man for a pricey fee of £140 million in January 2018.
Coutinho made a name for himself with his exploits in the Premier League with Liverpool, and it was believed that he would take his game to the next level at Camp Nou.
With Andres Iniesta about to depart, the former Inter Milan man was seen as a natural replacement for the iconic midfielder.
Coutinho himself described the move as a dream come true. However, that dream has since become a nightmare for all parties involved.
Things began brightly for him at Camp Nou, but that was as good as it got, and the 29-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations.
He remains the third most expensive player of all time, but Barcelona are yet to get value for the money they spent on him.
Coutinho's future at Camp Nou is in doubt, with the club reportedly willing to sell him.
However, Lionel Messi's exit means they might reconsider their options. If he remains at Catalunya, the club's record signing has to considerably increase his output.
#3 Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero's arrival at Barcelona portended a dream partnership with Lionel Messi at club level that sadly will not come to fruition.
The 33-year-old is one of Lionel Messi's closest friends away from the field. The duo have shared a room together on international duty since their time with the U-20 team in 2005.
Aguero went on to become arguably the greatest player in Manchester City's history, while Lionel Messi became one of the greatest to ever play the game.
The two men played contrasting roles to help Argentina lift her first major international trophy in 28 years. Sergio Aguero joined Barcelona soon after but will not have the familiar face of Messi to share the Camp Nou dressing room with.
On his day, Aguero is one of the most lethal strikers in the world. However, he has been plagued by fitness issues in recent years and, at 33, is no longer the force of nature he was in his younger days.
Lionel Messi's departure places an extra burden on the former Atletico Madrid man, although his job in front of goal will be made much harder by the reduction in chances created behind him.
#2 Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann's Barcelona career has been something of a conundrum. It has not been bad enough to be classified as a flop, but it has not set the stage alight in the manner that has been expected.
The Frenchman has been solid, if unspectacular, but he has undeniably had his moments in a Barcelona shirt.
Antoine Griezmann once infamously turned down a move to Barcelona to avoid becoming Lionel Messi's 'lieutenant' before experiencing a spectacular change of heart a year later.
In many ways, the World Cup winner could be the biggest beneficiary of Lionel Messi's departure. The Argentine's exit offers him the opportunity to be a central figure in a way that would not have been possible otherwise.
Both players like to operate in the same position, but Griezmann was shunted out wide in a less familiar role owing to the presence of his more accomplished teammate.
Griezmann was reportedly in discussions over a move away from Camp Nou, but Messi's departure has opened up a new world of opportunity for him.
Now the onus is on him to prove that he can carry the burden of being Barcelona's talisman.
#1 Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay's Barcelona sojourn offers him a second shot at proving himself on the biggest stage.
The Netherlands international had an unproductive spell with Manchester United earlier in his career. He is regularly listed among the worst big-money flops in the club's history.
He joined Lyon in 2017 and rediscovered his best form in Ligue 1, with his performances helping him rejuvenate a career that threatened to fade into mediocrity.
Depay's immense displays with Lyon and the Netherlands captured the attention of Ronald Koeman. Barcelona belatedly completed his signing several months after being heavily linked with him.
The 27-year-old joined the Catalans on a free transfer. He would have been expecting the extraterrestrial talent of Lionel Messi to help him ease into the increased demands at Camp Nou.
However, that will not be the case, and there is little margin for error for Memphis Depay to take his second shot at glory.
He has the ability to step up to the plate at Camp Nou, and Barcelona fans will be hoping that it is the Depay of Lyon, rather than Manchester United, that turns up.
Also See: Seven European clubs to win a treble
