Every day, the morning of Europe 1 looks back on one of the sporting events that make the news. This Wednesday, Virginie Phulpin obviously returns to Messi's decision to leave FC Barcelona. For her, this is better news for Barça than for the future club that will host the Argentine player.
Lionel Messi wants to leave FC Barcelona. The Argentine put everyone in football in turmoil on Tuesday night. For Virginie Phulpin, this is perhaps better news for FC Barcelona than for the club, whatever it is, which would welcome Lionel Messi in the event of a proven departure.
First you have to digest the shock. Lionel Messi and Barça, it was believed that they were inseparable. 20 years of living together. The Argentinian has always won everything for his club. Everything depended on him, he literally carried FC Barcelona, he was the boss on the pitch, as in the locker room, everywhere.
Maybe even a little too much, because for many months it hadn't really worked. A seized mechanism. Maybe Lionel Messi was also a little fed up with carrying everything on his shoulders. When it no longer smiles, it's a real burden. And the 8/2 rout against Bayern Munich was the last straw.
It's a shock but, anyway, Barça had to rebuild, it's almost a field of ruins. So at least there the club can no longer hide behind Messi and will have to enter a new era for good. It may take a little time, it's forced and forced, but since it was essential it may not be such bad news for the club. Even if we have to mourn the enchanted period of Lionel Messi and it is extremely hard.
It left for speculation on the future club of Messi.
Even though there is an upcoming legal battle between Barca and the player, it has already started. There aren't dozens of clubs that can accommodate it. Even if there is no astronomical transfer to settle, and that still remains to be specified, just the salary, it is already around 100 million euros per year. So who? Manchester City, Manchester United, possibly Inter Milan, or Paris Saint-Germain. Basically that's what if Messi stays in Europe.
But Virginie Phulpin is not sure it is a good idea to recruit him. We are talking about a player who will not arrive in a team to blend nicely into the collective. Yes, he is extraordinary and it could not be more tempting but, by recruiting him, you question everything that you have built before because everything will revolve around him.
It's a short-term vision too, because even if we like to imagine him eternal, he is still 33 years old and that's not necessarily how you win. We see him with Cristiano Ronaldo at Juve.
We talk about the field because if the goal is the international influence of the club, to bring in Lionel Messi, then it is indeed the coup of the century and you become the center of the world. It is a matter of priority.