The Messi Divorce

Till death do us part.

Some would say that lifetime commitments have always been silly and stifling. Others will argue for their beauty and importance.

Regardless of your sentiments, I don’t think many will disagree that commitment just isn’t what it used to be. Fewer than ever make lifetime commitments. More than ever break them.

Messi and Barcelona was a footballing marriage that looked like it would go the distance. Most footballing romantics were rooting for it to.

On one side of the union is a supremely talented player who has expressed his interest down the years to stay for the entirety of his footballing life at the club that brought him to Europe as a teen and paid for his medical bills; a club that he has won tens of trophies with.

On the other side is a global superclub who pride themselves on their footballing artistry who wanted the posterboy for their footballing DNA to stay for the entirety of his footballing life.

The match made in heaven for many years had began to look frayed under the management of Quique Setien. Then the match made in hell – I’m probably being a little harsh to Munich there – looked to have torn the union to shreds.

A quick refresher on what happened after the 8-2 drubbing:

Setien sacked
Messi announced his intention to leave, believing he could for free
FCB seemingly went against the spirit of the clause that Messi claimed granted him free passage meaning he could only leave for a world record transfer fee
Messi released this video

Now, he’s staying. But what comes of staying in a loveless marriage?

Granted, Messi still has plenty of love for the club and everything it has given him but he seems to have little left for the board and their lack of vision for the team over the past few seasons.

Till death do us part seems to imply an unconditional love, but marriage is based on a contract and contracts are based on conditions. Marriages are paradoxes that need constantly balancing.

The intention of forever needs to be backed up by consistent action that keeps both parties true to the conditions they signed up for.

Where Messi has been faithful to his promises and arguably overdelivered on them, he views the club as unfaithful to their responsibilities.

It was interesting to see how he would respond to being kept in the relationship against his will. Where we don’t have much of an answer to this yet, he bagged two goals and a sumptuous pre-assist in a friendly the other day.

My suspicion is, Messi will be the dutiful partner this season. Where many would let resentment cloud their game, I think he will do what he has always done - play the best he possibly can. I think it’s in his nature after 15 years of bossing it and I think it keeps him maximally attractive to potential suitors.

The 20/21 season will be a bed they will both be sleeping in together. Will Barca hope to woo him throughout it so that things are all cuddles again at the end of it?

Will they seek to win his trust back and renew their vows with him once more?

As much as I would love to see Messi in the Prem, the footballing romantic in me would love to see them rekindle their spark.

Maybe we could all do with a happily ever after.

Arton