No Messi, just an almighty mess

 

No Messi, but an overwhelming, stinking… mess.

The stink is because it became financially toxic and still lingers.

The scale of it makes you wonder not just where to start but whether it can be cleared up.

More than a club? More than €1 billion in debt, the prize asset gone for nothing, the stadium crumbling and a rookie manager learning the ropes.

Barcelona are right now very much less than the sum of their battered parts.

They went out of the Champions League with a whimper. Outclassed yet again by Bayern Munich.

It was 3-0 as it had been in the home tie of the group phase. A merciful scoreline given the Germans’ superiority.

A year and a half ago in Lisbon, it was 8-2, of course. In the quarter-final. That quarter-final. It was when Barca finally new the gig was up.

It will be the first time since 2004 (when they didn’t qualify for the tournament) that they won’t grace the knock-out stage.

And you have to go back to 2000-01 for them to fail to make it out of their group.

Then they came third behind fellow former giants, Leeds United and AC Milan.

Yep, they lorded it in Europe for a long time.

More than an era, more than a dynasty, they provided the bulk of the great Spain team that won the World Cup (2010) and the Euros twice (2008 & 2012).

But perhaps, more than all that, playing a brand of football that lit up the world.

Lionel Messi’s extraordinary talent dazzled for a decade and a half and he was ably supported by Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

The possession game was a glorious riposte to the idea that size mattered: the three little amigos – all just 1.69m (5’7”) tall – simply mesmerised.

A mere four Champions League wins (in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015) seem scant reward for the impact they made.

But they seemed to win every other trophy including an unprecedented sextuple in 2009.

The baubles and the memories helped turn the Nou Camp (stadium and museum) into one of Spain’s most popular tourist attractions.

They were one of those once-in-a-generation sides that became everybody’s second favourite club and one of the richest in the world.

They now have the indignity of playing among the also-rans in the Europa League; but they have work to do to be in Europe at all next season.

A lowly seventh in La Liga, on current form they are more likely to be among the also-rans – the Europa Conference – next time.

An eerie emptiness pervaded the Allianz Arena early Thursday morning (Malaysian time) as the snow fell. Barca were devoid of ideas, quality, hope.

A handful of familiar names were still around – Ter Stegen, Alba, Pique, Busquets – but they were shadows of their former selves.

The only consolation was that there were no fans because of Covid restrictions.

But it might also have been out of decency – no one wants to see a once-great club at its lowest ebb.

And certainly not one widely considered to be the greatest club side of all time.

Like historians debating an empire’s decline, there’s a consensus on where it went wrong.

Great sides usually remain at the peak of their powers for around three years.

But Barca sailed past that as well as the departure of the man who built them, Pep Guardiola in 2012, to be kings of Europe again in 2015.

Xavi also left after that triumph but, driven by the magical MSN front three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, they were still a force to be reckoned with.

They survived the departure of Neymar to PSG in 2017 to win La Liga the following year. Iniesta retired then but they retained the title in 2019.

Where and when the wheels began to come off was trying to spend the €220m they received for the Brazilian star and a lot more besides.

Half went on Ousmane Dembele, then an incredible £140m on Coutinho. After that they lavished another €100m plus fee on Antoine Griezmann. Another €75m on Frenkie de Jong. None worked.

A combination of injuries (especially to Dembele) and unsuitability (all of them) saw the team stutter.

Messi’s genius couldn’t cover for all the cracks on the field but by now there were some in the stadium too.

But the coup de gras was Covid.

More dependent on gate money (not to mention income from visiting pilgrims) than any other major club, the lockdown brought Barca to their knees.

With Messi’s contract expiring, matters came to a head.

Faced with bankruptcy and repairing the stadium as well as the team, the directors panicked.

A new president came in, managers were sacked and a fire sale of players reduced the wage bill.

Suarez was sold to rivals Atletico who promptly won La Liga.

But even after that Barca still couldn’t afford to keep Messi on his circa £500,000 a week wage.

So the moment came when the greatest player the club ever had tearfully departed for Paris Saint-Germain.

And this week, he reminded them of what they’re missing with two goals for his new club. That’s all Barca could manage in their six group games.

At least they have one of their own now in Xavi who has returned to manage.

They also have a crop of promising academy graduates in Ansu Fati, Pedri and Riqui Puig.

But what they badly need are quality experienced players and there’s no money to buy them.

That free signing, Sergio Aguero, who now faces early retirement because of heart trouble sums up their misfortune in the transfer market.

Bankrupt, the new regime is clinging to the hope the European Super League can somehow be revived.

It shows how desperate they are for funds.

A fan-owned club, it’s still resisting the kind of takeover the Saudis pulled off at Newcastle.

But if things don’t improve, it may be the only solution. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.