Ilaix Moriba happens to be the 18-year-old born in the same year Messi made his Barcelona debut and who was now being given his own chance to play for the club’s first team.
And right after the youngster had just set up the opening goal against Alaves on Saturday, he was congratulated by his 33-year-old captain who put his arm around the lad in a warm gesture of encouragement.
The Barcelona talisman’s immediate task at hand is to lead this youthful squad on Tuesday to a victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16. A big task indeed but if there’s anyone who can pull this unenviable stunt off, Lionel Messi would be the best bet.
From nurturing the next generation of Barcelona talents to confronting one of Europe’s richest, most ambitious clubs, the fork in the road for Messi’s future is becoming clear.
PSG and Manchester City remain Messi’s most realistic destinations at the end of the current campaign, with both united in representing almost everything that staying put at Barcelona would not – clubs ready to win the biggest trophies immediately and able to spend whatever it takes to do it.
As the Barca imbroglio continued to unfurl, Messi’s suspicions in August, when he sent the burofax requesting he depart for free, have been confirmed – Barcelona are clearly unable to spend what is needed to win the biggest trophies immediately and most likely for the next two seasons in view of the crippling financial mess they’re in.
When Messi explained to goal.com why he wanted to go last summer, reiterating his desire for a “winning project” while saying he “wanted to live my last years in football happily”, he admitted how hard it was to tell his family they were leaving.
The ensuing first few weeks of the season saw him distracted, like a player trapped in limbo wishing he was somewhere else.
Then, albeit nowhere near perfect and still far from the finished article, Barcelona stabilised under Koeman, seemingly a side with a renewed sense of purpose emerging.
To his credit, Koeman has enabled struggling players to flourish and promising youngsters to step up and make their mark.
For one, Pedri, the 18-year-old attacking midfielder, has been stellar, his eye for a pass resonating with Messi’s quickness of thought.
“In Pedri, Messi has found a reason to enjoy the game again,” wrote Diario Sport in January.
Then there’s Ansu Fati, another youngster who sparkled before injury struck in November. In defence, the 21-year-old Ronald Araujo, who is also expected to miss the first leg with an ankle problem, emerged as Koeman’s most reliable central defender.
Dutchman Frenkie de Jong has also more than caught the eye, turning in excellent performances in recent weeks while Ousmane Dembele has finally risen from the embers and enjoying his best spell at the club so far.
Antoine Griezmann, not to be marginalised, has also been capital in his form and goal-scoring and assists, looking much more like the striker who captivated the fans when he was onboard at Atletico Madrid.
Messi, like the team, has so far looked happy.
“He is focused, he is happy, he has found that ruthless streak again,” said Koeman on Saturday.
Well, Koeman’s optimism may well prove misplaced or, at least, premature given there are no guarantees Barcelona’s depleted defence will not cave in against PSG and Kylian Mbappe, even with Neymar sidelined due to injury.
Not that another humbling in Europe will undo the good work Koeman has done but it would serve more critically as a painful reminder to Messi of past failures and lost ground to make up for.
On the contrary, a positive result could do just the opposite, providing affirmation of steps already taken as best that could possibly have been managed at least on the pitch.
Most importantly, there is an opportunity to endorse what Koeman has started and to confirm the growing sense of a club slowly on the rebuild again, financial insolvency aside.
With presidential elections due next month, the reality is Koeman may not see this transition through but Messi can decide if his role in any revival will be fleeting or more fundamental.
“There is only one person who can choose his future and it is him,” said Koeman. “I would like him to stay for many more years and I’m trying to make sure he is happy like he is now. But his future is in his hands.”