And just like that, he’s gone. As the press release stated: “Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).” Financial and structural obstacles! Let’s talk about this. I’ll be in the thread answering as many questions as I can over the next hour. Ask whatever you want.
All right -- got to as many as I could. Need to write something about this now. Sorry I couldn't answer all of the questions. Thanks so much for hopping in here, all!
Am I insane to think there's still a 75% chance he stays at Barca? ESPN and venture capitalists just dumped a ton of money into this league and part of me thinks it's just a scam to get La Liga to bend the salary cap rules for Barca this year
LOL if he goes to PSG and I remember PSG are also linked with Ronaldo not too long ago, could you imagine the wages? Like a billion per year between the 2 of them
The more information comes out about this thing, the more it suggests (IMO) that this is bargaining tactic from Barca to rejuvenate the Super League project, which they view as the only plausible way out of their financial straits.
Not the end his Barca career deserved. Do Barca now fade as a European superpower? Still a lot of wages to shift to even maintain the balance at this point and they will have significantly less player pulling power.
Would it *really* surprise you that after Messi's tax problems and Barcelona's general financial idiocy that neither of them knew about the cap until today? I believe that
How significant is the financial impact of Messi leaving going to be, considering by far and away their most marketable player, as well as being responsible for like 30% of their revenue?
I don't really understand why Barca hasn't shown any urgency in selling their players people actually want to buy. Like, if you're truly at risk of losing Messi don't just constantly try to find takers for toxic assets like Griezmann and Coutinho. Put a blue chipper like Frankie/Pedri/Fati on the block and try and actually fix this thing, yeah? Or is their financial situation so far gone that that wouldn't even make a dent?
is there a good article that explains what exactly happened? someone texted me there's a salary cap in Spain... wut? how could that even get passed when all La Liga does is help RM and Barca
If both sides truly wanted it, is there anything preventing messi from playing this ssn on minimum wage and then back loading contract? A more extreme version of what he already agreed to with the 5 year deal
Assuming Messi does, in fact, leave, which still seems somewhat hard to believe, what does this mean for the future of non-EPL/PSG teams? Seems more and more there’s a small group of teams that basically print money at this point while everyone else struggles to keep up. Is there a way for the Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga to catch up to the EPL from a money-making perspective or are we heading for a future where the only option for most clubs, even big ones, is “spend smarter”?
I don't really understand FFP, whether it exists, or what the punishments are, but wouldn't it be worth it to sign Messi even if you had to secure loans to sign him and possibly be banned from Europe after this season to win your domestic league and the Champions League this season? Would any teams try this?
Given their constraints, are Barcelona even able to register their other free transfers, Aguero, Depay, Garcia without moving/re-working other big salaries?
Can you please explain / ask someone how la liga can just implement a hard cap without any notice over the summer? Seems completely insane to me that barca has to cut 70% of wages when they got funding so have no immediate cash flow issues. Surely belt tightening should be a long term process. Not a summer one?
So La Liga clearly has actual teeth here...Is thinking of this as sort of an NBA Hard Cap the best comparison? Also I can't believe Barca couldn't have planned this poorly right? Was any of this a surprise?
Who can afford him? Where does this leave Barcelona in terms of their attack and the registration of their new players? Is that possible now? Do they still need to shed more money? It's my understanding they do need to get rid of more dead weight, but I just want confirmation.
Actually leaving, or just can't sign the contract they agreed to? Because they could always agree to a different new contract, right? Really depends on how much Messi wants to stay vs how much Messi wants gobs of money?
Do you think this is a Messi decision (the club are a dumpster fire and he'd be better served elsewhere), a Barca decision (they literally cannot afford to pay him) or a bit of both?
is it not the ultimate indictment of capitalism ruining the world's game that the most talented player has essentially had to wait for a global catastrophe to affect the economy in order for him to move clubs (I'm reaching, just nice to chat, Ryan)
All right -- got to as many as I could. Need to write something about this now. Sorry I couldn't answer all of the questions. Thanks so much for hopping in here, all!
How does this impact Norwich City's pursuit of Josh Sargent?
now it becomes clear why everton have been so quiet
Open your third eye
https://twitter.com/lppny/status/1423346039944355840?s=20
How does this affect Newcastle's chances of signing Joe Willock?
I wish I could bet that La Liga will institute a "Bird" rule like the NBA for homegrown players before Messi actually leaves.
Am I insane to think there's still a 75% chance he stays at Barca? ESPN and venture capitalists just dumped a ton of money into this league and part of me thinks it's just a scam to get La Liga to bend the salary cap rules for Barca this year
Graelish better not list his house for sale just yet....
LOL if he goes to PSG and I remember PSG are also linked with Ronaldo not too long ago, could you imagine the wages? Like a billion per year between the 2 of them
how does aguero feel
The more information comes out about this thing, the more it suggests (IMO) that this is bargaining tactic from Barca to rejuvenate the Super League project, which they view as the only plausible way out of their financial straits.
Which (at present hypothetical) oil state funded super team are we obligated to support in the CL final next year? Messi’s PSG or Kane’s Man City?
spain with a salary cap immediately becomes one of the most fun leagues to watch
That Kane transfer looks even less likely now…
Is losing Messi enough to possibly drop Barca from top 4 or is the gulf too wide even without him?
And does this open up a spot for Coutinho to play for Barca again?
existence is pain.
Not the end his Barca career deserved. Do Barca now fade as a European superpower? Still a lot of wages to shift to even maintain the balance at this point and they will have significantly less player pulling power.
I doubt it would happen but I would love to see Messi in the Premier league (not that anyone could really afford him)
Would it *really* surprise you that after Messi's tax problems and Barcelona's general financial idiocy that neither of them knew about the cap until today? I believe that
Is this going to end up with Harry Kane still on Spurs?
And yes, is this a ploy to lighten the regulations so that Barcelona can register all these players including Messi later on?
We are all rooting for Juventus to pair him with CR7, yes?
https://twitter.com/jpw_nbcsports/status/1423345937582370817?s=21
How significant is the financial impact of Messi leaving going to be, considering by far and away their most marketable player, as well as being responsible for like 30% of their revenue?
Why does this feel worse than when he was leaving because the club's president was an all-around asshole?
What are the chances Tuchel/Granovskaia/Abramovich hustle and bring Messi to West London?
It’s gotta be PSG, right?
Does this stop Kane from leaving Spurs? Wouldn’t City or United take Messi over him?
Will Haaland wear 9, 10, or another number for Barça when he signs next summer?
So is Grealish to City off?? Does that impact their other moves? WHAT IS GOING ON
I don't really understand why Barca hasn't shown any urgency in selling their players people actually want to buy. Like, if you're truly at risk of losing Messi don't just constantly try to find takers for toxic assets like Griezmann and Coutinho. Put a blue chipper like Frankie/Pedri/Fati on the block and try and actually fix this thing, yeah? Or is their financial situation so far gone that that wouldn't even make a dent?
is there a good article that explains what exactly happened? someone texted me there's a salary cap in Spain... wut? how could that even get passed when all La Liga does is help RM and Barca
If both sides truly wanted it, is there anything preventing messi from playing this ssn on minimum wage and then back loading contract? A more extreme version of what he already agreed to with the 5 year deal
Assuming Messi does, in fact, leave, which still seems somewhat hard to believe, what does this mean for the future of non-EPL/PSG teams? Seems more and more there’s a small group of teams that basically print money at this point while everyone else struggles to keep up. Is there a way for the Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga to catch up to the EPL from a money-making perspective or are we heading for a future where the only option for most clubs, even big ones, is “spend smarter”?
I don't really understand FFP, whether it exists, or what the punishments are, but wouldn't it be worth it to sign Messi even if you had to secure loans to sign him and possibly be banned from Europe after this season to win your domestic league and the Champions League this season? Would any teams try this?
Given their constraints, are Barcelona even able to register their other free transfers, Aguero, Depay, Garcia without moving/re-working other big salaries?
Does this impact the Grealish transfer?
Can you please explain / ask someone how la liga can just implement a hard cap without any notice over the summer? Seems completely insane to me that barca has to cut 70% of wages when they got funding so have no immediate cash flow issues. Surely belt tightening should be a long term process. Not a summer one?
Is there any realistic option besides City, PSG, or a return to Barcelona?
Reality aside, what's the funniest club Messi could go to? Stoke City?
One day after the Forbes article that Barca want to announce new Lionel Messi contract the next day. How? how??
Is the Barcelona player offload done after this, or do they still need to get rid of Griezmann, etc.?
So La Liga clearly has actual teeth here...Is thinking of this as sort of an NBA Hard Cap the best comparison? Also I can't believe Barca couldn't have planned this poorly right? Was any of this a surprise?
Who can afford him? Where does this leave Barcelona in terms of their attack and the registration of their new players? Is that possible now? Do they still need to shed more money? It's my understanding they do need to get rid of more dead weight, but I just want confirmation.
Actually leaving, or just can't sign the contract they agreed to? Because they could always agree to a different new contract, right? Really depends on how much Messi wants to stay vs how much Messi wants gobs of money?
Does City pull Grealish bid?
So Kane stays at Tottenham now right?
Is there anyone outside of City and PSG who are even remotely conceivable as a Messi destination?
Do you think this is a Messi decision (the club are a dumpster fire and he'd be better served elsewhere), a Barca decision (they literally cannot afford to pay him) or a bit of both?
is it not the ultimate indictment of capitalism ruining the world's game that the most talented player has essentially had to wait for a global catastrophe to affect the economy in order for him to move clubs (I'm reaching, just nice to chat, Ryan)