La Liga now sees Lionel Messi’s situation at Barcelona becoming increasingly fraught with the Spanish league having lost Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018.
However, choosing to play it down, La Liga boss Javier Tebas is seemingly nonchalant about a possible exit by the Argentine, claiming instead that the La Liga would not suffer from losing Leo.
Tebas, outspoken as usual, has even gone on record claiming that the Spanish league has improved since Ronaldo’s departure for Juventus in 2018.
As speculation continued mounting over the Messi’s future at Camp Nou arising from a number of discordant issues between the prolific goalscorer and the Blaugrana club chiefs, particularly with the president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, where relations have become increasingly tense in the last 12 months, Messi is rumoured to be displeased with the way things have been run at the club.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner had notably signalled his displeasure with the club bosses when team mate Neymar left for PSG and Messi’s feathers wee further ruffled when the club’s public pursuit of Neymar last summer proved futile.
In a subsequenr episode, Messi then publicly lashed out in retaliation at Barca’s bosses after technical director Eric Abidal claimed players had been the culprits behind Ernesto Valverde’s dismissal in January, this being an overt hint at Messi himself being the provocateur.
Barely had the incident been put to bed when the scandalous accusations against Bartomeu made the headlines for his alleged involvement in contracting a public relations company to target Messi and a host of current and ex Barca players and coaches in acrimonious attacks on various social media channels.
Last week, Messi was again compelled to go public again to vent his frustration at club chiefs over pay cuts in the midst of the coronavirus crisis after players felt some within the club had attempted to undermine their sincere intentions to reach a decision.
A civil war is seemingly brewing at the board level now with Bartomeu seeking to get rid of four members – including two vice-presidents – accusing them of disloyalty.
Hence it is no surprise that rumours are abounding regarding Messi’s future called into question, particularly when he has the exclusive privilege of walking away from the club for nothing should he choose to, due to an agreement in his contract.
Various clubs have been mentioned as possible exit targets but Inter Milan have been tipped lately as a potential destination, with speculation in Italy claiming chairman Steven Zhang could look to prise Messi to San Siro. Ex-Inter president Massimo Moratti has also chimed in that Messi is not “an impossible dream” due to Zhang’s ambition.
However, either out of self-denial or unrealistic complacency, La Liga boss Tebas, like a sly fox taking a nip at Messi’s heel, is vocally insistent that it would “not be a drama” if Messi departed.
“I do not think that the arrival of Messi can solve the problems of Serie A, which are linked to the bad relationship between debts, high and insufficient collections,” he said.
“Serie A’s figures are stressed, and these economic problems certainly are not solved by Leo Messi.
“I would like Messi to stay here – but if he leaves it would not be a drama.
‘It was said that without Cristiano Ronaldo the league would have lost money.
“Instead we would have earned it, even in Portugal. Players help but are not essential to a championship.”
How’s that for a perfect example of sour grapes?