What’s the story?
Few players on this planet would reject a move to Barcelona because of Lionel Messi’s presence at Camp Nou. However, it looks like Paulo Dybala has hinted just that as the striker prefers a move to the Bernabeu instead.
The Juventus starlet, who has seen his value skyrocket over the last few seasons, has seen multiple clubs from all over the world express an interest in him, including both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, it seems that the Catalans may suffer and lose out on the Argentinian's signature, simply because the presence of Messi may undermine his success at Barcelona. Real Madrid on the other hand, want a candidate who can simply slip on Karim Benzema’s boots and step into the starting eleven alongside both Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In case you didn’t know...
Dybala recently signed a new contract extension which will keep him at Juventus till 2021. The 23-year-old will pocket a minimum wage of €7 million per season for the Turin-based club, the highest a player at the club has ever received during a single season.
The heart of the matter
Nicknamed the “Jewel” after his feats at Palermo, Dybala has since become one of the most sought after strikers in Europe and given that the Argentine is just 23 years old, he has a long way to go.
23 goals last season for the Serie A champions has seen his stock rise phenomenally and clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and even Chelsea have come knocking on his door.
Unfortunately for the Catalans, Messi’s mere presence is enough to make an extraordinary player look ordinary and that’s exactly what the Juve striker is afraid of. Dybala wants a club where he can become or rather be the main man and the current Champions League holders Real Madrid appear to be the better fit for him.
The 23-year-old has made four appearances for his national side and thus knows just how easy it is for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi, to steal his thunder.
It won’t be much easier at Madrid, given the fact that four-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is still Zizou’s main man at the Bernabeu. However what Ronaldo has that Messi lacks is the fact that time is against him, as the Real Madrid man is well into his early thirties, while Messi rests on the other side of thirty.
A cycle of change is imminent at Madrid and while Bale is Ronaldo’s immediate successor, Dybala may find it much easier to make his mark at the Bernabeu rather than the Camp Nou.
What’s next?
The 23-year-old has come a long long way from his days at Palermo but is still not good enough to be discussed in the same breath as Ronaldo and Messi. However, the striker will be looking to help his side to an unprecedented treble to silence his critics once and for all.
Juventus are still present in the Champions League and the Coppa Italia and are well on their way to winning the Serie A yet again, and the 23-year-old will be looking to spearhead their challenge.
Sportskeeda’s Take
When you take into consideration what Messi has done for Barcelona, any player will think twice before moving to the club, especially given what Paco Alcacer is going through right now.
The Argentine number 10 is one of the reasons that Barcelona are the team that they are today, but for a player as young and talented as Dybala, playing second fiddle to one of the world’s greatest players, may not be enough. Instead of looking for a move away, he may be well suited to stick it out at Italy for another season considering how well Juventus are doing at the moment.
