5 players who weighed in on the Lionel Messi-Barcelona saga

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Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi

#3: Arturo Vidal (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi (left) and Arturo Vidal (right) Enter caption
Lionel Messi (left) and Arturo Vidal (right) Enter caption

Chile's Arturo Vidal may have only played two seasons at Barcelona but he was one of a handful of players at the club who commented publicly about Lionel Messi's impending exit.

During an interaction on Daniel Habif's Youtube channel, the Chilean midfielder rued the lack of professionalism and direction at the club that forced Lionel Messi to think about leaving his beloved club, something that was considered a near impossibility when Messi offered to take a 70% pay cut during the COVID-19 crisis only four months ago.

"Barcelona have to change their way of thinking. Football has moved on a lot and the (whole) DNA (thing) is being left behind because other teams are improving in other aspects. Football at the moment is more physical, more dependent on power and speed and the technical side is sometimes less important," said Vidal.
"The last three years are not what a team like Barcelona deserves. The best team in the world cannot have 13 professional players. You cannot always win with DNA. (Messi) is the best in the world, an extraterrestrial, but he needs help so that better results can be achieved," Vidal concluded.

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#4: Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima (Former Barcelona player)

Ronaldo Nazario (centre) played a lone season with Barcelona.
Ronaldo Nazario (centre) played a lone season with Barcelona.

Another former Barcelona player, a certain Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, more commonly known by his first name Ronaldo, also provided his opinion on the prospect of Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona.

Two years after playing his first season in Europe with Ajax, Ronaldo turned up for the Camp Nou outfit in 1996-97 and amassed a spectacular tally of 47 goals in 49 appearances before making a surprise exit the next year.

Unlike the three other players mentioned above, Ronaldo made his comments before Messi intimated Barcelona about his desire to leave the club.

Brazilian Ronaldo addressing the media in Lisbon via video link.
Brazilian Ronaldo addressing the media in Lisbon via video link.

Speaking in the aftermath of Barcelona's 2-8 humbling at the hands of Bayern Munich during a media interaction in Lisbon via video link, Ronaldo said that Lionel Messi was very 'unlikely' to leave the club.

"It is very unlikely that Messi will leave Barcelona, especially with the financial crisis in Europe. Messi is the reference of the team, and if I were Barcelona, I would not let him leave in any case," Ronaldo told reporters at a press conference at Santander Media House in Lisbon."

The 2002 FIFA World Cup-winner said that Messi has an unique relationship with Barcelona and has the right to be upset over his beloved club's recent performances in various competitions. But the 43-year-old Brazilian was quick to point out that Barcelona letting Messi leave would not be the end of their on-field problems.

"Messi has a very intense relationship with Barcelona, I do not think he will stop being in love with the team. He's upset, of course, with how they were defeated in the Champions League. Messi needs his teammates to help him, as they do, and Barcelona will have to think of something different for the next seasons. Letting your main player leave is not the solution," Ronaldo concluded.

#5: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)

Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong

23-year-old Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has played just one season with Lionel Messi at Barcelona after moving to the club last summer.

After scoring just twice in 42 games in all competitions during his debut season at Camp Nou, De Jong thrived in national colours as he provided the assist in Netherlands' solitary goal win in their 2020-21 UEFA Nations League opener against Poland.

When asked about his opinion on the evolving Lionel Messi situation at Barcelona, the former Ajax player said that he was happy because the Argentinian player chose to remain at his beloved club.

“Yes, I read it. Personally I am very happy with it. He is the best player in the world. So if he stays, you are happy," said De Jong.
“I have not had any contact with people from Barcelona. It became known quite late and we were preparing for the game, but I am very happy with it. It was something between Messi and the club. I have no control over that, and I was not in Barcelona, so it makes sense to follow it from a distance,” De Jong concluded.

In an earlier interview, De Jong had said that Lionel Messi was still in the Whatsapp group of Barcelona.

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Edited by S Chowdhury