El Clasico RECAP! Barcelona’s togetherness is ‘FRIGHTENING’ even without Lionel Messi 🤩 | ESPN FC

The ESPN FC crew dive in-depth into Barcelona’s BIG 4-0 win over Real Madrid in LaLiga, discuss Lionel Messi’s future and how Messi leaving Barca allowed for growth in Xavi’s team.
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[BC-mjgj]

Messi wasn't the problem. For the past 3 years with the incompetent board, poor signings and bad managers without personality all contributed, without Messi Barca would have been playing Europa League for the past 4 years

[diadiecisse]

I don’t like how they’re portraying Messi like some sort of “problem” you’re stuck with. Messi is arguably the best product from la Masia when it comes to play the Barça way. Forget about the dribbles he used to and still does. Messi’s movement, passes, ball movement, intelligence on the pitch, are all second to none when it comes to playing the Barça way. I think Messi would be absolutely amazing in this system as a right winger who cuts inside. Xavi would find the perfect balance with him in the team and Messi would make sure to do what he has to do like he has always done for Barça and Argentina. People are quick to forget how good Messi is when there is a good coach who implements real tactics. Anyway, I know he won’t probably come back, but to say he would ruin our chemistry is an insult to him and what he has done.

[richarddordoye]

The issue wasn’t Messi, it was those around him reading to play football because he was there. I don’t think he demanded the ball as it’s insinuated, rather it’s ‘ give the call to Messi and let him do it’ mentality.
Look at the Argentine team for example. They ma did that transition WITH Messi and with huge success.

[souladventura]

Always loved Messi's talent. And for me he is the GOAT. But Ale is right. For the last couple of his seasons in Barca, their way of play was like 'pass it to Messi'. There was no system. Unlike under Pep and to an extent under Luis. And that dont work always in football.

[neazmorshedreza]

For those pundits, i want to say, It's more up to the coach. Messi is not only a goalscorer but also a playmaker. Look how scaloni evolved the team ARGENTINA with him and you’ll see with forthcoming international duty. Messi Isn't the problem, problem is dependence on him solely!

[curtischarles]

1 million % agree with stevie. listen to intelligent analysis. football is a TEAM sport. when barca dominated it wasnt just messi messi messi . other like henry, eto'o, david villa all got to share the responsibility of the team, so you were dangerous from all angles. even with MSN all of them scored a lot of goals....the failure of barca was when they build the team around messi alone and yes MESSI excelled and won balon d'ors and won golden boot awards but the team didnt win the major trophies. it showed up more when messi got older. football is a team sport

[oluwatosinjayjay]

We need to give Ronaldo and messi their flowers after all this years they have really really tried ... Pundits saying they are problems to their team structure I understand the logic behind their statements but don't fully agree bcos of my sentiments...
Those 2 players lived up to the hype and did extraordinary things.... They are the GOATs no matter who u favourite is we should respect each of them ... I can't criticize both of them on the football pitch bcos they have done enough in their career to have an inconsistent season .... Love both of them they gave me pure football joy..

[bodaciouscuts]

It's not yet the end for the man with the most assists in PSG this season.... It's only his manager that has met his end in PSG.

[raheem]

I wouldn't say they're better, but the attack is a lot more balanced. Before, it was just pass to Messi and pray

[footbol]

When Messi was with the players of similar calibre and similar level.... They had this team spirit and cohesiveness. Then slowly they left and Messi was the only star left.. and then it was more like "carrying" the team rather than "playing" with the team

[Suyez]

Messi made Barcelona look like title contenders back then.
Now they have new management and a balanced squad. Messi would just make this team even better.

[SirNoobWulf]

While I agree with what is being said, I also don't think Messi coming to barca would mean everything has to go through him. I think it would just mean that now with a proper structure in the team, Something he didn't have pretty much since 2017, He can play the role he is assigned by the coach.

And of course Barca will have options on bench and on the field if things aren't working.

[UnrulyRebel-hdpl]

Madrid fans complaining about ESPN milk this topic are the same people that would've been laughing us to this day if it was us that got embarrassed like that keep crying Visca El Barca 😉😂

[xsanther]

Messi was not and never will be a problem to barca.
The real problem was always the bad management coming from the board, in form of recruiting the wrong players to hiring incompetent or incomparable managers.
Messi under Xavi in the current set up would only make this team better.
He is definitely coming back 2023, every one will see.

[rijorajan]

I don't understand from where these so called pundits come from. Messi isn't a selfish player like Ronaldo or mbappe. He plays for the team. He makes great smart plays. If they are really "analysts" of the game you can see that Messi has changed his game to develop the build up play rather than run at defenders and score goals on his own like his earlier days. You lot are an absolute disgrace.
If you said he will have a problem of pressing. I'd agree. If you said Messi would not play for full 90 min for the better of the team I agree.

Finally. Franck You say he left for salary. Let's see you do this show for free. Footballers. The really great ones are in the business for 10-13 years if they are so consistent. They are not going to suddenly just stop eating after they leave football. I second Jules. He's the only one of you lot with some valid and unbiased criticism!
@espn I literally watch this show only cuz I feel this is more of a comedy show rather than something to take seriously. You lot said xavi would fail utterly. Now look at ya shameless bunch. Pathetic lol. But thanks for the chuckle anyway. Lmao

[_pisces_]

The fact that xavi said the door is always open for messi prooves that he already knows how and where to play him

[AkibEdits]

I dont agree, Messi loves this club. Messi knows that he dont wanna harm the young players progression. Messi can come back and play the role same as Dani Alves, guiding young players and motivate them. At least 1 more season with Messi is all Culés wants. We just want Leo to have a good last season and a good farewell he deserves after all he done for this badge.

[thorgaming]

It's hard to tell how people changes their minds so often. When Barcelona were struggling to score goals in the first half of the season, all these analyst were talking about the absence of Messi in this team and it was the same team that came 3rd in La liga and won the copa del rey just beacuse Leo Messi was in the team and scored 20+ goals. And now all these great analysts are saying that he won't fit into the team that he himself carried a few months ago. It's true that Messi has passed his prime but that doesn't mean he wouldn't fit into this current system of Barcelona under Xavi. 'Pass the ball to Messi' was the quote beacuse there was no wingers..no no.9 and no confidence in the team. It is true that sometimes later this man has to hang hi boots but we would have loved him to do in Barcelona colours. That's all. If he were in the team he himself would have passed the baton to youngsters like Pedri, Ansu. His single touch or pass can create a goal out of nothing and he has done it several times in the past few years. So it's good that Barcelona are back to the best and that too because of Xavi. Koeman too had the same set of players with whom Messi played last season and they failed to produce nothing when Messi was gone. So please stop blaming Messi and saying that he wouldn't have fit into the team.

[talhaansari]

On the point of having a superstar being a hindrance to the team. I'd like to add that if the team is built properly having a superstar in that team improves the team. Look at Ronaldo winning 3 CL in a row and look at Messi winning CLs and leagues in that 2008-2012 time.

The problem emerges when management start signing bad players and coaches start making mistakes and we start blaming superstars for not running and covering back.
So while Messi and Ronaldo are not as good as they use to be look at the teams they are playing in. And look at Lewandowski/Benzema same age playing in far better teams and under far better coaches.

Look at Manchester United and how bad they've been for last 10 years but everyone blame Ronnie for it. Look at PSG and how bad they've been and people find fault in him. Both of these clubs are corrupted to core. From signing bad
Players and making wrong decision over and over again.
Messi and Ronaldo in teams like Liverpool, City and maybe this new Barcelona can be once again the best players in the world easily.

[BC-mjgj]

Can somebody remind Ale and Stevie when they said with this bunch of lazy Barca players, no manager can fix the team and also laughed at Xavi when he was talking about his ideas that he will bring to Barca.