Angry FC Barcelona fans chanted for the resignation of club president Josep Maria Bartomeu after captain Lionel Messi announced on Tuesday that he wished to leave the Catalan side.
“We love you, Messi stay, Messi stay!” and “Bartomeu resign!” chanted several hundred fans outside FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium on Tuesday night.
“I am very upset, for me Barca is Messi and Messi is Barca. They are the same, he is the symbol of Barca … They should erect a monument in Camp Nou.
“I don’t think this (departure) should be allowed to happen,” 80-year-old Joana Polo, wearing an FC Barcelona face mask, told Reuters on Wednesday outside Camp Nou.
The decision by the Argentine forward has thrown the club into turmoil less than two weeks after their humiliating 8-2 UEFA Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich.
“It’s a huge outrage. I never thought this would ever happen … You can take defeats in sports but I can’t handle Messi leaving,” said Oriol, 40.
“We will defend him until death. He is not the one to blame. The blame is on (FC Barcelona’s) board.”
“Total War!” daily newspaper Sport declared on its front page referring to the situation.
Messi has been named world’s best player of the year a record six times, but he has grown increasingly unhappy over the last 12 months.
His grouse is on how the club is being run under Bartomeu.
He criticised club officials for forcing players to take a pay cut to cope with the financial hit of the coronavirus pandemic.
Albert, 28, another disgruntled Barca fan, told Reuters: “They have been doing things badly for a long time and this guy (Messi) has got tired of not having a project, of not keeping the philosophy we used to have … and he said `enough is enough’.”
“The only situation available right now is for him (Bartomeu) to resign.”
After Barca surrendered the Spanish La Liga title to Real Madrid in July, Messi slammed the team as “weak” and “vulnerable” during an uncharacteristically fiery post-match interview.
Barca are in the midst of overhauling their squad following the UEFA Champions League defeat.
Some Spanish media have reported that new coach Ronald Koeman told Messi’s close friend and strike partner, Luis Suarez, that he does not wish the Uruguayan to stay at the club.
GUARDIOLA CAN BUILD MANCHESTER CITY AROUND MESSI
Pep Guardiola can rebuild his Manchester City team around Lionel Messi if the Argentine gets his wish and leaves FC Barcelona, former Nou Camp great Rivaldo says.
Messi’s lawyers informed FC Barcelona on Tuesday that the Argentine wanted to take up a release clause in his contract which could allow him to leave for nothing.
But FC Barcelona have insisted the release clause has expired.
They said the six-times Ballon d’Or winner can only leave if a rival club is willing to pay a 700 million euro (825 million dollars) buyout clause.
Rivaldo hopes the two parties can reach a compromise.
But, while he would be sad to see Messi leave FC Barcelona after almost two decades, he thinks Manchester City would be a good choice.
The Argentina captain has helped them win 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies.
“FC Barcelona don’t want to lose their best player for nothing. So, they’ll try to convince the player to stay or agree to let him leave if they receive a good offer from another club,” Rivaldo said.
“It will be a sad ending for Messi’s story with FC Barcelona if the things remain this way, but this is football and sometimes things don’t run according to our expectations.
“Manchester City could be Messi’s best option as his next club. He’s 33 but his quality and talent are both unquestionable and I think he still has a few more years at the top.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has lost his Spanish playmaker David Silva.
He now has a big job on his hands trying to close the gap on Liverpool who won the English Premier League (EPL) by 18 points.
Rivaldo believes Guardiola, who enjoyed trophy-laden years as FC Barcelona manager with Messi in his pomp, would love to have the opportunity to work with him again.
“He has deep knowledge of Messi’s abilities and will find a solution to quickly incorporate him into the team and get the best from him,” Brazilian Rivaldo, who was at FC Barcelona from 1997 to 2002, said.
“I even imagine Guardiola building the rest of his team around Messi.
“His talent can make the difference at any place and at any time, and I’m sure he could produce match-winning performances in the Premier League.”
Rivaldo says new Barca manager Ronald Koeman will build from “almost nothing” if Messi and Luis Suarez both leave.
“I hope he gets time because it could take a while to get Barca back to their full power,” he said.
