A picture can be worth 1,000 words. Or tens of thousands of votes for anyone aspiring to be the next president of Barcelona, a post up for election within the next year, when the mandate of current president Josep Maria Bartomeu expires.
The picture Bartomeu would like his preferred successor to show off to the club’s voting season-ticket holders is of Barca’s most important asset, flanked by the old president and the would-be new one, signing a new contract.
That asset is Lionel Messi, 33, whose current deal runs out in June 2021. It was reported on Cadena Ser, Spanish radio, on Friday that Messi and his advisers have paused ongoing discussions over an extension that would keep the Barca captain at the only senior club he has ever played for, until at least 2023.
There is plenty of time to have a new contract signed, but also a growing belief that Messi is not ready to grant Bartomeu and his allies in the boardroom that special photo-opportunity – not until the player has regained faith that a future Barca is one Messi can lead as proudly as some of the superb Barca teams he has graced in the last 15 years.
Messi has spent most of his adult life declaring he intends to be a Barcelona player for as long as he is wanted at the club.
After his career is over, Camp Nou will owe him a statue in the most prominent place possible. But Messi is also aware that one downside of being the emblem of the club is that doubts stir over how healthy it is to be so dependent on a single player; and that there are mutterings from upstairs that too much power and authority are held by one genius.
Last week, Messi scored his 700th career goal. The towering milestone passed by almost in the background to a gathering crisis. Barcelona were busy conceding a lead for the second match in three days, allowing Real Madrid to push ahead in the race for the Spanish title. Madrid, who travel to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, could be seven points in front when second-placed Barcelona kick off this evening at in-form Villarreal.
Just as last season, when a 3-0 lead over Liverpool was squandered in the Champions League semi-final, Barcelona are capitulating in the last yards. When La Liga resumed last month, after its shutdown because of the Covid-19 emergency, Barcelona were clear at the top of the table.
The shutdown hurt them. Extensive pay cuts were imposed on employees of a club who rely not only on big matchday crowds, but visitors to the Barca museum and on-site merchandise sales to support the highest salary bill in club football.
The pay-cut negotiations were undignified, Messi and the players announcing after they had accepted a 72 per cent reduction that they felt the club’s executives had misrepresented their eagerness to help.
That marked another chapter in a year of open tension between dressing-room and boardroom. In January, Bartomeu sacked head coach Ernest Valverde – with Barcelona top of La Liga – and when Eric Abidal, the sporting director said the players had become unresponsive to the coach, Messi publicly called Abidal out.
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