Conversation tapes. For everything. For judges, for coaches, for members of the administration and even for the personal lives of football players. Categories for forgery, money laundering, tax evasion. Only one… the washing machine can handle it right now. Barcelona from the difficult situation in which she fell, and “wash away” her sins. Such a big club in such a terrible off-season is looking for a lifeline to catch him. This is reality.

What could be this lifeline? OUR Lionel Messi he is not well in Paris, and this is evident every day, every passing hour. He never expected that just a short time after winning the World Cup in Qatar, the Parisian fans would not stop booing him, making him responsible for everything. Thus, he “weighs” his options just before the contract expires. One of them is his return to Barcelona. Everyone has opened their arms and is waiting for him: management, coach, potential teammates, people, media. Everyone is eager to correct the mistake they made and let him go.

“Leo” seems to think of three thoughts. First, sign a contract for another year, maybe two in Paris, but feel trapped in what looks more like a lucrative marriage. Secondly, follow the easy path that Cristiano Ronaldo took in Saudi Arabia by accepting the “sick” offer of $400 million a year from Al-Hilal, even if it forces him to say goodbye to European courts once and for all and Champions League. the whole league.

The third path leads to the MLS and David Beckham’s Inter Miami team. He will be forced to train with Phil Neville, he will by no means reap the financial benefits of Saudi Arabia, and his only lure will be the prospect of a 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Based on the foregoing, no one can rule out that Messi is guided by his heart. He never wanted to leave Barcelona, ​​especially the way he left in August 2021…

Love and duty

The feeling that both sides left something in the middle is mutual.

“Lionel and his family know how much I appreciate them. I took part in the negotiations, which, unfortunately, were not crowned with success. I have a thorn in my side that cannot stay in our group. I hope everything falls into place so that this mutual love story ends with Messi in Barcelona. When you are in love and break up with someone, you always want to stay in love. We will always love Leo and he will always love Barcelona and the city of Barcelona. I am one of those who believe that fate is wise,” Blaugrana Vice President Rafa Juste said a few days ago.

As implausible as it may sound, it would be crazy to doubt Youse’s sincerity, even if the club’s management called Messi a “hormonal dwarf” in their WhatsApp chats a few years ago, referring to his contract money. Barcelona, ​​due to their colossal mismanagement, was unable to say goodbye to the Argentine he wanted or deserved. He feels compelled to make amends, and there is certainly some sporting logic to his possible return, as well as romance.

Right or wrong, the club believes success is more likely with him than without him. Both in terms of the immediate results of his performances and in terms of the momentum that his return will give to the club.

Return motives

However, it would be naive to believe that this is the only motivation. Everyone in Barcelona’s obsession with the return of their “king” is fueled by different emotions. It could be affection, nostalgia or what Messi represents for the city.

But on the other hand, the prospect of a closed European Super League, the presence of Javi Hernandez on the bench, the need for a quick return to success and the mandate that Joan Laporta will soon ask for in the election of a club of 143,000 people. Members.

With the return of Messi to the Camp Nou, everything will be different.

Barça will regain lost glory, without him Laporte will be judged as the president who allowed him to leave the team.

But the most important thing is how the club’s reputation will be restored immediately. The club, which once prohibited the slightest advertisement on its “sacred” jersey, except for UNICEF, has been flooded with scandals in recent years.

Allegations that the former management hired a PR firm to boost their reputation and smear several players and officials, but above all allegations of referee corruption, which are being investigated by the Spanish judiciary and UEFA, have caused unprecedented shock.

No one at Barcelona can come to terms with the fact that the club paid former vice president of the Spanish refereeing commission José María Enríquez Negreira around $7.6m over 17 years to curry favor with their title takeover bid. Rival fans printed counterfeit money featuring Laporta, and despite management’s denials, the damage was done. La Liga President Javier Tebas spoke of the “worst reputational crisis”, UEFA President Aleksandar Čeferin spoke of “one of the most serious situations” he has seen in football and regardless of any possible punishment that may be inflicted on the club, the brunt of his prestige came.

So, as gullible as you are, it’s hard to admit that Barcelona’s quest to bring Messi back is a coincidence, especially with these constant public declarations of love for him. After all, it is typical for entire nations to use the brightest sports stars to divert the attention of the public from major events.

Barcelona’s love for Messi is undeniable, but the need to bring him back here and now, as a symbol of their strength, as a reminder of who they once were, is even greater.

The leader from Rosario is asked to make a decision with four options in front of him that are basically the same. Barcelona want to use it to return to the past by cleaning up their image, Paris want to use it to prove their dominance on the European stage, Al Hilal want to showcase it to cover up the country’s reputation, and Inter Miami want seeks through this to develop the championship. It somehow confirms that there is no romance in anyone’s heart. It’s just business and nothing more…

Source: New York Times.