In what he mentioned with out saying, it was clear that he thought Barcelona didn’t do the whole lot they might to cease their biggest ever to have worn the membership’s shirt. That he was deeply damage, there was angst and agitation, a way of loss and a lingering hope that he may, even at so late a second, put on that shirt he had worn 778 instances. He would, stifling his feelings, name it the toughest second of his profession. “We had hurtful defeats but football gives you a chance to avenge that. But there is no turning point to this,” he mentioned that teary night.

But the wheels of future tread uncommon paths. Two years later, Barcelona desires to reunite. Rumours of his return have been swirling for some time, however this Friday, Barcelona’s vice chairman Rafa Yuste confirmed that the membership are exploring the opportunity of re-signing him. Not simply due to the worth he nonetheless brings to the membership, however what he stands for. “I would like him to come back, because of what he represents on a sporting, social and economic level. Beautiful stories should have happy endings, and there is a mutual love between the two parties,” he mentioned.

Messi and Barcelona is a fantastic story certainly. A 13-year-old pale boy with wondrous toes however growth-related points leaving his hometown to Camp Nou as a result of they have been the one membership that provided to pay for his development hormone therapy. The first contract was signed on a serviette at a tennis membership. The remainder of his enjoying years, Messi appeared like paying the debt again, successful not only a horde of trophies and medals, however forging an id, making them arguably one of many best groups ever within the recreation’s historical past.

There have been others too, Xavi and Iniesta, Puyol and Pique, Guardiola and his imaginative and prescient. But Barcelona, for almost twenty years when he was there, was Messi, simply as Messi was Barcelona. History would keep in mind the crew as Messi’s Barcelona, like Pele’s Brazil, although there have been different stars that dazzled, in order that Pele may dazzle even brighter. It was laborious to think about Barcelona with out him, more durable to think about him enjoying for an additional membership. “It’s difficult,” Messi himself would say.

Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates exhibit the FIFA World Cup trophy after their pleasant win over Curacao on Tuesday. (Photo: Instagram/@leomessi)

It’s typically mentioned that sportsmen die twice, first after they retire. But enjoying for an additional membership would have been worse than dying, for each Messi and Barcelona. Messi, although, didn’t slow-burn into irrelevance however influenced video games as tellingly as used to for Barcelona. PSG was not his retirement shore, however one the place he sustained his ardour for the sport and fuelled his World Cup goals. If he rejoins Barcelona subsequent season, it might really feel like he was merely away for a two-year break someplace. For a technology of football-watchers, Messi enjoying for PSG, or every other membership, would really feel like an alternate actuality.

Reunions, thus, have a heart-warming romance about. The interlude of separation may need felt merciless. Messi, himself, would possibly really feel it like a rebirth. The non-Barcelona, non-Messi clan may query the rationale. When the following season begins, the Argentine can be 36. His outdated good friend Xavi is moulding a younger and vibrant crew. Would Messi’s return impede the expansion? Would it flip counterproductive after the novelty wears off? There is after all of the Ronaldo precedent. His return, it was thought-about, would make Manchester United nice once more But the saga unfolded and ended bitterly. In the guts of the United followers, he misplaced a bit of affection and respect.

Lionel Messi is more likely to return to Barcelona. (File)

But Messi and Barcelona are completely different. There are extra emotional layers to their relationship. From 13 to 33, via teenage and youth, from foothill of greatness to its peak, it was a journey they journeyed collectively. “I grew with the values of this club and I want to be recognised that way,” he mentioned in his farewell press convention. Messi would by no means depart Barcelona as acrimoniously as Ronaldo. Messi has indifferences with the board that led to his departure, however he provided no fodder for sensationalism.

Ronaldo, maybe, was not as deeply related to United as Messi was (slightly is) related to Barcelona. It is not any fault of his, although. Ronaldo was 17 when he joined United and 24 when he left them. His greatest years have been spent at Real Madrid, the place the CR7 delusion soared. Before returning to United, he spent three years with Juventus, and he was weighing gives from completely different golf equipment earlier than United jumped in, in order that he didn’t find yourself at Manchester City, who have been apparently bidding for him as properly. Or so goes the hearsay.

An even bigger motive that he may succeed might be that Barcelona performs a lot the identical method as they did in Messi’s days. Tiki taka has lengthy gone, however passing remains to be the soul of the sport. He conforms to the elemental Barcelona method—primarily based on positional play, an urgency to maintain the ball for so long as attainable.Messi, remains to be distinctive at these ranges, and there’s no motive he couldn’t be as influential a power as he at all times had been.

It’s an engrossing prospect—him pulling the play-making strings beside Gavi and Pedri, behind Ousmane Dembélé and Memphis Depay, shielded by outdated good friend Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong. There may not have been too many peak years left in him. But it doesn’t matter, each Messi and Barcelona can be merely completely satisfied to be reunited once more. That can be the best fairy-tale story ever instructed in soccer. A match made in footballing heaven. Barcelona may not have completed the whole lot to maintain him, however they may do the whole lot to purchase him again.