Never return! No need for Barcelona to re-sign Messi

Barcelona's vice president, Rafael Yuste, recently held a press conference to emphasize the importance of Lionel Messi to the club. He highlighted Messi's relationship with the fans, the financial impact, and the athletic benefits he brought to the team during his two-decade tenure.

Yuste also revealed that Barcelona is in talks with Messi's agent to bring the legend back to the club that he departed almost two years ago. The potential reunion between Messi and Barcelona, who were once an inseparable duo, is a heartwarming prospect.

Their relationship was a perfect match, starting from when they were childhood sweethearts who grew to love each other deeply. Over time, their bond became unbreakable, and Messi's departure in 2021 left him in tears.

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As a master craftsman, Messi led the team to unprecedented success, delivering exceptional performances at every turn. His return to Camp Nou, where he was adored, and a reunion with his former partner, seems irresistible. However, it should not be considered. While Messi may want or even need to return, Barcelona should avoid it at all costs.

Moving on is effective

In the last 18 months, many of the world's most exciting young teams have experienced a defining moment: they have chosen to prioritize their collective project over a declining star. Arsenal demonstrated this by parting ways with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while Manchester United found hope in Cristiano Ronaldo's departure. Even Ronaldo's previous exit from Real Madrid helped spark a new era.

A new and vibrant Barca has emerged after a year of uncertainty

Messi is a different player, capable of inspiring those around him, but the same principle still applies. This season, under Xavi's management, a new and vibrant Barca has emerged after a year of uncertainty. It seems that a new project is beginning to gain momentum.

However, welcoming a 36-year-old Messi, who admittedly is in decline, would contradict what makes this Barcelona team so successful. It would halt the progress of a winning team, which is likely to reclaim its La Liga crown.

Getting over Messi

Following Messi's departure, Barcelona struggled with their identity for a year. The loss of the star player resulted in several key individuals leaving the club, including manager Ronald Koeman and Antoine Griezmann. The events preceding the separation created drama that caused the collapse of Josep Bartomeu's presidency, exposing the club to a significant financial scandal. Despite the club's belief that they could replace Messi, they realized that he was irreplaceable, and their attempts to sign imperfect players, such as Aubameyang, Memphis Depay, and Ferran Torres, did not help. They also entrusted Luuk de Jong to lead the line and almost sacked Xavi after being knocked out of the Europa League.

Following Messi's departure, Barcelona struggled with their identity for a year

However, almost two years later, Barcelona is in a better position. The bad purchases are mostly out of the door, and a new wave of shrewd signings, combined with young talent, has brought the Blaugrana back to the top of La Liga. Although they may reminisce about their successful days with Messi, they recognize that their new romance will never be the same. It is the differences that have propelled them back to the top, and the Blaugrana should focus on better things in the future.

A developing side

Barcelona appears to be making significant progress toward achieving their goals. They are a young and hardworking team that is constantly improving, with world-class players in several positions. Despite lacking a true superstar, the team has thrived due to their lack of ego. Barca's top players have embraced unfamiliar roles and sacrificed their personal interests for the good of the team. For instance, Jules Kounde, an up-and-coming center-back, has shifted to the right side of the defense, despite not liking the position.

Barcelona appears to be making significant progress toward achieving their goals

In midfield, Pedri and Gavi have played numerous positions, even though they are the ideal box-to-box duo. Ousmane Dembele, who is beginning to shine on the right wing, has moved to the left to make room for the more one-footed Raphinha. However, all of this required significant underperformance before success. Frenkie de Jong, a star midfielder, was nearly sold last summer, and Dembele was considered a flop only 12 months ago. Even Pedri and Gavi have been subject to criticism.

Barca has worked hard to move beyond a club legend, so it is not necessary to go back now. Although Messi is still a valuable player, he is not essential to the team's success. He demonstrated at the World Cup that he can lead a team that revolves around him. He is, without a doubt, the greatest player of all time, and a few poor performances at PSG do not detract from his legacy.

Barcelona may lack creativity in the final third, and Messi is a master of producing moments of magic. However, the team does not need a player to steal the spotlight right now.

Unsatisfactory fit

Messi sets himself apart from other superstars by not being selfish with the ball and not feeling the need to score every goal. However, his style of play still requires those around him to adapt. Rather than having a fixed position, he tends to float between positions. For Argentina, he played on the right wing, while at PSG, he loosely interprets the role of a center-forward.

Messi's style of occupying spaces is not the typical attacking structure, which creates a problem for Barcelona as they reportedly want him to play in Xavi's signature four-man midfield. This midfield unit has been instrumental in Barcelona's recent success, with the system first used in January by incorporating Gavi, Pedri, De Jong, and Busquets. Despite initial doubts, the system proved to be a tactical masterstroke and helped Barcelona win against Real Madrid in their first match.

Each player in the midfield unit plays a specific role, with Gavi and Pedri creating chances, De Jong tackling and breaking lines, and Busquets patrolling the defensive third and maintaining possession. However, the arrival of Messi means that one of these players will have to be sacrificed, upsetting the balance of the midfield unit. Busquets is more likely to stay if Messi arrives, but Pedri, Gavi, and De Jong are unlikely to give up their position easily.

Although Xavi is a smart tactician and will have a plan for Messi's arrival, he will have to dismantle the carefully crafted midfield unit that has taken 18 months to perfect.

Improper cash management

Money issues are a significant concern regarding Messi's potential return to Barcelona. For this to happen, the club must first find a way to overcome the various financial obstacles that stand in the way of their summer investments. This includes the challenge of navigating bloated player contracts, such as those held by Jordi Alba and attracting more sponsorships to the club. While players like Sergi Roberto and former player Gerard Pique have taken pay cuts, it hasn't been enough to address the financial issues.

Money issues are a significant concern regarding Messi's potential return to Barcelona

Even if these problems are resolved, Messi may not be the top priority for the club. Xavi may instead need to focus on acquiring a defensive midfielder to replace Busquets, a full-back cover, and a reserve center-forward for Robert Lewandowski. Additionally, Barcelona must register Ronald Araujo and Gavi after granting them significant contract extensions. It's clear that the club faces a challenging summer ahead, and if Xavi has available funds, he may need to consider alternative options beyond Messi.

A memory best forgotten

In the future, Lionel Messi's 2022 Ligue 1 title, the last-minute free-kick winner against Lille, or his goal in a high-profile friendly against the Riyadh All-Stars will not be what he is remembered for. Instead, his World Cup medal and 672 Barcelona goals will be what etches him into football folklore. Fans will reminisce about his hat trick against Real Madrid in his first Clasico or the moment he lifted his kit to the Santiago Bernabeu rafters after scoring a late goal to beat Los Blancos.

Messi has had many iconic moments, scored breathtaking goals, and set mind-boggling records, but he cannot surpass his past achievements. He is still a great player, but he is not the same as he was two years ago.

Therefore, his Barcelona legacy should remain pure and uncorrupted by his occasional show of humanity as he ages. For Xavi's team, the return of Messi should be viewed sentimentally as a "what-if" scenario best left as a daydream. Barcelona can cherish their old memories and photos with Messi, but it is not necessary to call him back again. Their love for him, although wonderful, is best left in the past.

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