If you believe the papers, FC Barcelona is in the midst of a nasty crisis. The wage bill is too high, there’s no money for transfers, and the club’s reputation is in tatters after the Super League revelations. Fans of one of the biggest brands in world football have certainly had happier days when the trifecta that was Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, and Leo Messi controlled the sport.
Still, the idea that Barca is in turmoil is a little farfetched. Yes, money is a problem at the moment, yet the good news is that every cloud has a silver lining.
Messi Is Staying
Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room – Lionel Messi has performed a U-turn. At the end of the last season, the greatest player of all time wanted to leave and was unhappy when the club refused to oblige him. Now, he’s happy to take a reported 50% pay cut to stay at the Camp Nou and help his team return to the top of European football.
Ensuring his name is on the team sheet is one thing, yet making sure that the Argentine forward is happy is another. We saw it last year when the news about his planned departure came out and his standards started to drop. After all, it’s human nature to let off-field issues manifest on the pitch.
Of course, this U-turn demonstrates the importance of finding a compromise when dealing with potential player movement. Not only has Joan Laporta convinced La Pulga to stay, but he’s persuaded him that his happiness lies in Barcelona. As we know, a happy Messi off-pitch is a destructive Messi on the pitch.
Our Signings Are Quality
The purse strings are almost firmly slammed shut. Some reports state that Barcelona must find £100 million to balance the books if the club wants to spend £25 million on a player. That’s unfeasible, which is why new additions have been mainly free transfers.
The thing is, a lot of clubs are in the same boat, meaning they are offloading world-class players that we've snapped up. Sergio Aguero, Messi’s close friend, is a prime example, yet the likes of Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia are as important. And if Saul Niguez ends up at the Camp Nou with Antoine Griezmann going the opposite way, the first 11 would be pretty strong.
The bookies seem to agree because, even without the Niguez/Griezmann saga confirmed, the football betting for La Liga ranks Barcelona as the 6/4 joint-favourites with Real Madrid. Considering that Madrid has lost Zinedine Zidane, the man behind the team’s push for last season’s title, we may be stronger.
La Masia Can Shine Again
La Masia was at the heart of the side’s most recent era of dominance. Messi himself was alongside Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Gerard Pique to win two Champions Leagues and sweep La Liga. A criticism of Barca, of late, is that the up-and-coming players haven’t had ample opportunities to develop.
Although it’s not by design, the current situation means that people like Pedri will be at the forefront of the attack this year, though this isn't a worry as he showed in Euro 2020 that he’s capable as a big-time player. On the other hand, Francisco Trincão has been loaned to Wolves for development purposes, while also eliminating his wages simultaneously.
Overall, it’s a fantastic mix of shielding some players for the future, such as Trincão, while throwing Pedri in at the deep end.
The next time you read that Barca is in turmoil, take it with a pinch of salt. The future is bright, even if there are some black marks on the club’s CV.
All About FC Barcelona
AllAboutFCBarcelona.com is a Blog dedicated to the Most prestigous Club in the world, FC Barcelona by an ardent fan. Here I discuss about the Latest happening surrounding our Club and present my Views about the same.
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