Has Messi played his last game for Barcelona at Camp Nou?

Visuals of Lionel Messi shaking his head in frustration, then bowing and clutching his knees with eyes on the ground and mouth open, during last weekend’s home loss to Celta Vigo, were interpreted as signs of a man discontent with life in Catalonia and seeking a fresh challenge. Many saw the game as Messi’s last at Camp Nou, at least in a Barcelona shirt.

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There was nothing unusual with Messi’s demeanour on the day. That the Argentine great has been unhappy with the trajectory of his club in recent years is no secret. He has cut a frustrated figure on the pitch on many occasions this season, the last and even in the one before that. As Barcelona end their season at Eibar on Saturday, with just the Copa del Rey title to show for this season, speculation is rife about Messi’s future.

It has been almost nine months since Messi sent his club a ‘burofax’ stating his desire to leave. At the time, Barcelona’s refusal to release him and the possibility of a prolonged legal battle forced him to honour the last year of his contract. All this while, Barcelona fans had been hoping for progress in talks for a new contract for their greatest player. So far, not much seems to have happened on that front.

As things stand, Barcelona are floundering at living up to their billing as a footballing behemoth. Their finances are a mess – multiple reports suggest Barcelona’s total accumulated debt stand at over €1 billion at the moment. But procuring loans shouldn’t yet be a problem for a club of Barcelona’s stature. According to Spanish media reports on Tuesday, investment bank Goldman Sachs has agreed to loan €500 million to Barcelona.

But with their mounting debt and an economic situation worsened by the pandemic, it is unlikely that Barcelona will be able to splash a lot of money in the transfer market this summer, even with a new mega loan. A €100 million move for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, for example, may not make much financial sense for Barcelona at this point despite the almost-guaranteed benefits on the pitch from the player.

It is in this context that Messi’s future at Camp Nou looks increasingly uncertain. The Argentina forward will be 34 in June, when his existing contract ends. Despite a change at the helm of Barcelona, with Joan Laporta returning as the club’s president to replace Camp Nou’s former pantomime villain Josep Bartomeu, the club’s financial situation remains very delicate.

According to whistleblowers Football Leaks, Messi’s average annual earning according to his current contract with Barcelona is in excess of €100 million. While Laporta will be more than keen to keep the world’s best player at the club, they will be aware that a new contract for Messi will have implications on the club’s transfer budget.

The departure of Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal, among others, ahead of this season was a sign that the club was trying to reduce its wage bill. Once their campaign ends on Saturday, the Catalans could also ring changes in their coaching staff, with Ronald Koeman widely expected to be given the boot.

Will these factors push Messi further away from a future at Camp Nou? One thing is for certain: despite his astronomical wages, Messi will be sought after by some of Europe’s richest clubs if he does decide not to sign a new contract with the club he has been associated with since the age of 13.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner leads La Liga’s scoring charts with 30 goals this season. He has 38 goals and 14 assists overall across all competitions in 47 games. These are figures we have grown used to over the years. But what is evident now is the huge gulf in standard between Messi and his teammates.

Despite his own greatness, Messi has, over the years, also been spoilt in a way by the quality of teammates he has been able to play with at Barcelona. From sharing the field with the likes of Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry to winning all major team and individual honours while playing with Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Dani Alves, then Suarez and Neymar, among others, Messi has been lucky to have had some incredible support on the pitch.

After years of financial mismanagement, Barcelona haven’t been able to replenish the squad and that has shown in the lack of success in Europe after 2015. The reliance on Messi has only grown at a time when the player seems increasingly suspicious of his club’s ability to compete in the Champions League.

Against PSG in the Champions League Round of 16 this season, Messi scored twice over the two legs but couldn’t prevent his side from losing 2-5 on aggregate. Messi could do little last season as well during the 2-8 humiliation by Bayern Munich. The season before that, he cut a forlorn figure in a shocking 0-4 loss at Anfield in the Champions League semi-final.

Barcelona are still a force in European football but with Messi approaching the last few years of his playing career, will he risk staying at a club that may not be able to offer him the best possible platform to conquer Europe again?

Or will a move to Manchester City and a reunion with former boss Pep Guardiola tempt Messi? Perhaps joining his former teammate and close friend Neymar at PSG may not be a bad proposition either.

At a month short of 34, Messi’s abilities as a player and his fitness record are unquestionable. Despite the odd injury, he has played more than 30 league games in each of the last 13 seasons. The options, in terms of a possible transfer away, may not be many given his wages but if Messi does leave Barcelona, it will be an epoch-making event for the sport.

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