In the heartbreaking tale of Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona, new details surrounding his shocking exit back in 2021 have surfaced, thanks to his longtime friend, Sergio Aguero.
During one of Aguero’s Twitch streams, he disclosed a poignant moment during the Copa América when Messi had a Barça jersey in their room and kept expressing hope that his contract had been renewed. He eagerly wanted a photo with the jersey for the official announcement, but each time they were ready, the disappointing news arrived that it was not yet prepared.
Kun Aguero: “During the Copa America, Messi had Barça jersey in our room, he was saying for every 3-4 days: ‘I think my contract has been renewed, you have to take me a photo with Barça jersey for the official announcement.’ And everytime we were ready, they were telling him that… pic.twitter.com/12MTJrAWS5
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) August 5, 2023
Aguero has been roommates with Messi on international duties for Argentina since their Junior level days. His revelation sheds light on the deep bond between Messi and FC Barcelona. This seemingly minor detail rekindles the pain of FC Barcelona fans, who still mourn the loss of their club’s greatest player.
The story serves as a poignant reminder of FC Barcelona’s significance and affection for Lionel Messi during a highly competitive Copa América run, where even amidst the intensity of the tournament, Messi kept an eye on the club’s contract renewal process.
Lionel Messi’s shocking exit during the pandemic was further exacerbated by the lack of a proper farewell from the fans due to COVID restrictions.
The agony persisted this summer after months of speculation, Lionel Messi ended up joining Inter Miami from PSG as a free agent. It was following FC Barcelona’s failure to provide sound financial figures to ensure a safe return to La Liga while adhering to the league’s economic guidelines for clubs.
Why did Lionel Messi’s transfer to FC Barcelona fail?
During this summer, the highly anticipated return of Lionel Messi to FC Barcelona failed to materialize, despite the mutual desire of both the club and the Argentine superstar to finalize the deal.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Messi made it clear that his heart was set on returning to Barcelona. He acknowledged receiving offers from another European team but dismissed them without a second thought. His sole intention in Europe was to reunite with the club he had called home for so long.
Two years ago today, Barcelona announced Lionel Messi was leaving the club 😢
We’ll always have the memories 💙❤️pic.twitter.com/PA3JMaShGV
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 5, 2023
The disappointment of not being able to join Barcelona after winning the World Cup prompted Messi to explore other options. It was then that he decided to embark on a new adventure in the MLS and join Inter Miami.
In this move, he sought to experience the beautiful game from a different perspective, finding a way to enjoy his daily life even more while remaining devoted to his profession and maintaining his strong desire to win every competition and do things right. The change offered him a sense of calmness and tranquility amidst his continued commitment to excellence on the field.
FC Barcelona’s plan for Lionel Messi
Recent reports indicate that FC Barcelona encountered a significant obstacle in incorporating Lionel Messi within the club’s salary cap regulations set by La Liga.
According to the league’s rules, if a team exceeds its allocated amount based on financial performance in recent seasons, they are prohibited from registering a new player, making them ineligible to participate in league matches, regardless of their ability to pay the player’s wages.
Lionel Messi’s Barcelona stats are still hard to believe 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/ZeeiMYiVcQ
— GOAL (@goal) June 24, 2022
This exact predicament emerged when Messi departed Barcelona in 2021. Despite reaching an agreement on a new contract, the salary cap rule prevented the club from registering him, ultimately leading to his departure from the team. Subsequently, Lionel Messi joined PSG.
To continue reducing the salary cap limit, La Liga imposed strict restrictions on Barcelona, allowing them to allocate only 40 percent of any money raised through player sales and loans toward new signings. For instance, if the club sold a player and reduced their salary bill by $100 million, they would be permitted to register a player whose salary amounts to $40 million.
In the case of Messi’s prospective return, he had previously verbally agreed to a salary of approximately $28 million per year. This meant that Barcelona needed to free up around $89 million in salaries to accommodate his registration.
Mirror Image of 2021 Scenario
Unfortunately, the only plausible way for Barcelona to complete the deal was if Messi had decided to patiently wait for their financial situation to improve. However, this approach did not sit well with Messi’s camp, as they believed it added unnecessary pressure to a situation that the player was growing increasingly fatigued with.
𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋: Lionel Messi joins Inter Miami on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain on a 3 year deal. 🇦🇷🤝🦩🇺🇸#InterMiamiCF | #PSG
— Transfer Core (@TransferCore_) June 7, 2023
In a bid to avoid a repetition of the 2021 scenario and take control of his own future, Lionel Messi made the decisive choice to join Inter Miami. By taking matters into his own hands, Messi sought a fresh start and a more promising opportunity to continue his illustrious soccer journey.
