Barcelona players say emotional goodbye to Lionel Messi

In news that sent shockwaves across the globe, Barcelona confirmed they will not be tying club legend Lionel Messi to a new deal. Blaugrana pointed to their current financial constraints and the wage cap policy in Lga as the factors behind the development.

The club posted the message on their social media handles, along with a video tribute dedicated to the Argentine legend. Since then, several notable figures within the world of football have been sending their farewell messages to Lionel Messi.

Barcelona players were among the first set of stars to bid adieu to the club's talisman. The likes of Sergi Roberto, Philippe Coutinho, Marc Andre ter Stegen, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele all paid tribute to the Argentine on their social media pages.

Veterans such as Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba followed suit. In his message, Pique admitted that “nothing will ever be the same” now that Messi has departed Barcelona. Both Busquets and Alba thanked the playmaker for his time at Camp Nou and wished him the best in his future endeavors.

The youngsters also played their part. Ilaix Moriba, Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati paid respect to the legend, appreciating the wonderful privilege they had of sharing the dressing room with him.

It was nothing short of emotional as the Barcelona family continued to shower praise on the greatest player in the club's history.

How the Lionel Messi saga unfolded

Lionel Messi might have just left Barcelona this summer but the move is a long time coming. The playmaker was close to leaving last year, handing in a transfer request that wasn't honored by then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Unwilling to sue the club, Messi decided to see through the last year of his contract, which expired at the end of the 2020-21 season.

With the Argentine's future in doubt, Barcelona followers opted to vote for newly-installed president Joan Laporta as the Spaniard promised to keep Lionel Messi at Camp Nou. It ended up on a sore note, with the club failing to tie Messi to a new deal despite the willingness of both parties to continue their relationship.

Despite reaching an agreement, Barcelona couldn't register the playmaker due to their economic crisis and the wage cap policy in La Liga. As a result, they were forced to part ways with the Argentine.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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