I read a ridiculous news story today saying that Real Madrid are planning a world record £120 million bid for Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
The bid would meet the minimum fee release clause in the Argentine’s contract.
Spenders
Real Madrid have tried to buy success in recent seasons especially last summer when they purchased Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo amongst others. Real Madrid literally think they can buy anybody they like.
Most clubs can’t afford to turn down major offers for their players in these difficult financial times. Manchester United couldn’t even afford to keep their star Ronaldo. Player’s heads are turned by playing for Spanish giants Real Madrid and off they go.
However Barcelona and Lionel Messi are a completely different kettle of fish. Messi’s head won’t be turned by Real Madrid because Barcelona are just as big as Real Madrid in Spanish football if not bigger.
Special
Messi has been at Barcelona since his early teens and it’s almost like his second home. The club brought him and his family over from Argentina and paid for medical treatment needed for a growth hormone deficiency.
Messi has never forgotten that and is now fiercely loyal to Barca. He is almost one of their own in Barcelona. He has recently stated that he wants to remain at the Blaugrana for the rest of his career or however long he is wanted by the club. Loyalty is a rare commodity in football these days but Messi is Barca through and through.
Mind Games
I don’t believe Real Madrid really think they will sign Messi this summer but this talk and speculation is a tool to unsettle Barcelona. The clubs are still competing for the La Liga title and Barca are just a point ahead with head to head advantage.
Everybody at Real Madrid is desperate for a slight advantage wherever they can get it and maybe this speculation is designed to give them that advantage. They must be crazy if they think that this tactic will work.
Barcelona are one of the strongest clubs in the world when it comes to mental attributes. Manager Pep Guardiola is one of the world’s top tacticians and only special managers like Jose Mourinho have been able to get the better of him.
Barcelona as a club and city has a very strong mentality due to the history of the region. It will take more than a silly transfer story to upset the apple cart at the Camp Nou.
Bitter
The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is more than just a football rivalry. The history between the two clubs goes back to the start of football in Spain but really intensified during Franco’s era.
Franco was closely associated with Real Madrid. During those days there were allegations of referee’s and officials favouring Real because of their links with the general. Barcelona in particular felt that they were treated unfairly as they were fighting for independence from Spain and Franco’s regime.
Icon
Messi has become an icon at Barcelona and they wouldn’t even dream of selling their top player to their bitter rivals. If they did the unthinkable and sold the world’s best player to Real Madrid it would be seen as an act of treason.
If Barcelona did sell Messi to Real Madrid it would prove a massive victory for the Madridista’s not just on the field but also in the board room. It would also mean that even the most loyal footballer could be bought.
Selling Messi would be like admitting that Real Madrid are a bigger club and can buy anybody they like. Barcelona won’t sell Lionel Messi because apart from the fact that he’s the best player in the world, I don’t believe he would ever dishonour the Barcelona fans by ever playing for Los Blancos. I think it’s fair to say that Lionel Messi is staying at the Camp Nou for the foreseeable future.
Would Lionel Messi ever join Real Madrid?
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