'%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)
Lionel Messi loves Barcelona, but over the last couple of years, the love has been on the wane. The resentment over Barcelona's UEFA Champions League failures, managerial sackings and appointments and disagreements over transfers has caused a festering rift between player and club that now appears beyond repair as very public divorce proceedings have begun.
Trending
This is, however, just the start of what is set to be another protracted drama within the corridors of power at the Catalan giants. It is a story that will be played out in the media each and every day until the separation is finalised one way or the other. It will be political, and it will be painful, but an amicable solution no longer appears possible.
The human side of Lionel Messi
We have often questioned if Lionel Messi is actually human, such is his level of genius on the field. But while we expected the latter years of his career to bring him down to the same level as his peers, it is the emotional side of the Argentine rather than his football ability that has confirmed that he is actually one of us after all.
Throughout his career, Lionel Messi has been synonymous with Barcelona. He is the figurehead of the Catalan club. His passion for success while wearing the badge of the Blaugranes has never been in doubt until recently. But it is that emotional bond that has caused this situation to hurt more than any professional and contractual dispute could have.
In fact, it would be easier for Lionel Messi to see out the remaining period of his contract if he did not have such a strong and emotional attachment with Barcelona. However, it was the strength of this relationship that once brought so much joy, and that is why the current position between the two parties causes so much pain.
The story of Lionel Messi is one for the football romantics and purists, and it would have become even more legendary long after his retirement. It was made for Lionel Messi to sign off from the Camp Nou by playing the final game of his career in front of 100,000 Culés, with not a single dry eye in the house.
Lionel Messi and other legends
Rome witnessed such scenes in 2017 when the great Francesco Totti announced his retirement after 25 years at the club. It showed a loyalty to one club that has sadly become lost in the modern game. Totti could have achieved more success elsewhere, but he believed that his one title with AS Roma in 2001 was worth more than ten with any other club.
Of course, Lionel Messi has achieved great success at Barcelona since making his debut, and he has set records that are unlikely to be eclipsed any time soon. He has been mainly responsible for the success achieved by Barcelona over the best part of the last two decades. But his power and influence at the Camp Nou is no longer what it once was.
It is incredible to think that the Barcelona fans who have worshipped Lionel Messi for so many years are on the verge of turning against him. Messi is an adopted figure of Catalonia who represents everything for the people from the region, from celebrating glory to inspiring a belief that the impossible is possible. Lionel Messi is an irreplaceable figure.
Pep Guardiola, Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta are all held in similar regard by this generation of Barcelona fans, but the trio departed in very different circumstances compared to the impending exit of Lionel Messi. The trio remain loved and respected through the humility they showed regarding their status in comparison with the institution of the football club.
Lionel Messi's quest for UEFA Champions League glory
Lionel Messi has shown a side to his character that few believed existed. He no longer considers Barcelona capable of producing a level of success that mirrors his own ambitions as he heads into the final years of his career. He wants to win the UEFA Champions League at least one more time, and he has seen nothing to suggest that this Barcelona team will challenge for that title in the near future.
New manager Ronald Koeman may not tolerate strong personalties who may use their power to split and diversify the changing room. Lionel Messi will know that the appointment brings an end to his influence at the Camp Nou, and dismissing the privileges that he has become so used to will be difficult for him to accept.
While Lionel Messi wields what he considers to be the last remaining power he has at the club with his transfer request, it is Barcelona who remain very much in charge of the situation. With the period for making such a request now expired, only a significant fee will complete one of the ugliest transfers in the modern game.
The only positive factor that can work in favour of Lionel Messi now is Barcelona's desire to drop a very lucrative contract for a player who no longer wants to be at the club. This is their one chance to cash in financially on Lionel Messi after years of cashing in on his talent through the success he has generated. If public opinion in Catalonia sways against him, it could be an easier decision than initially thought.
What does the future hold for Lionel Messi?
The implementation of Financial Fair Play by UEFA will be a significant factor for clubs who may consider signing the 33-year old. The transfer fee and massive salary that Lionel Messi would command mean that only the super-rich are in any position to consider a move for the player, and it may be a case of including at least two or three players as part of the transfer fee to make it a viable option.
A reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City is seen as the most likely option for Lionel Messi. While there is a romantic side to the story after the success they enjoyed together at Barcelona, it also represents the dark financially-powered world of the modern game. Should they deliver UEFA Champions League success together again, it would be seen as nothing but a bought title.
Barcelona hold all the cards, and they will decide on Lionel Messi's future. If he is forced to stay at the club, the bitterness and resentment between the board, the player and the fans will make it a very difficult situation for all involved.
If Lionel Messi leaves, it would be the ending of a great love story with a twist that nobody could have ever envisaged.
