La Liga's stringent salary cap forced Barcelona to hold back on renewing Lionel Messi's contract, and the Argentine star eventually joined Paris Saint-Germain. Messi's transfer, undoubtedly one of the most impactful deals in soccer in recent years, was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Barcelona.
Messi's departure has firstly hit Barcelona's offense hard. Messi alone could attract two to three defenders from the opposing team, which ensured that at least one of Barcelona's players could get space. However, with Messi's departure, Barcelona's attacking system had to be rebuilt, there is no longer a player on the field who can fight against many. This has led to a significant drop in Barcelona's attacking power against dense defenses. In the first 11 rounds of the league this season, Barcelona only scored 16 goals; the first 4 rounds of the Champions League, only 2 goals. This kind of result, or the Barcelona famous for offense?
Messi's departure not only destroyed Barcelona's offensive system, but also left the team without its most reliable scoring point. Since the 2008-09 season, Messi's single-season goals have never been lower than 30 goals.In the 2019-20 season, Messi scored 31 goals for Barcelona, his lowest record in more than a decade.In the 2011-12 season, he scored 73 goals in 60 games. After Messi left, the weaknesses of Barcelona's other attackers were exposed one by one: Depay was too sticky, Fathi and Dembele were physically thin, and Coutinho? Not worth mentioning at all. Messi's existence, masking the Barcelona too many problems, the plight of the season, but is the reflection of the real strength of Barcelona.
Messi's departure also brought a double blow to the economy and the team's appeal. Following Messi's return, Barcelona's shirt sales plummeted by 80%, fan attendance dropped sharply, and chest sponsor Lotte Group decided not to renew its contract. Barcelona, already in a poor financial situation, lost the benefits Messi brought despite not needing to pay him a hefty salary. Barcelona may not be able to find a way to open up their sources of income, despite saving money. Laporta's erratic attitude towards Messi's contract renewal has also caused the credibility and reputation of Barcelona's top management to plummet.
Athletically, financially, and in terms of team appeal, Barcelona has plummeted due to Messi's departure. But think about it from another angle, what would have happened if Messi had stayed in the team? Last season, Barcelona won the Copa del Rey in a hard-fought battle against repeated shutouts and draws. In this summer's financial austerity, Barcelona's overall strength has dropped dramatically. Even if Messi stays in the team, Barcelona has lost the ability to compete for the title. Messi stayed in the team, instead, he may become the backstabber. After Messi's departure, it is clear who is swimming naked. Western media in recent years repeatedly attacked Barcelona dependence on Messi, but without the dependence of Messi, Barcelona is like suffering from a terminal disease ......
