Barcelona can’t bring Lionel Messi back at the moment. This has been confirmed by La Liga president Javier Tebas. Nevertheless, Tebas thinks it is a good thing that the club is doing everything possible to bring back the Argentinian world star.
Barcelona receives support from an unexpected quarter in the Messi case
Tebas has been at odds with Barcelona several times in recent weeks and even thought that Barcelona chairman Joan Laporta should resign. However, in the master plan to bring Messi back to Barcelona, the club received support from an unexpected quarter. Because Tebas supports that project: “I’m a fan of Lionel Messi.”
Nevertheless, Tebas emphasized that a lot still needs to be done in the financial field. “Barcelona cannot register him at the moment. But there is still time. We await Barcelona’s plan. As a league we hope that Barcelona will succeed. But we are not going to change the rules of financial control. Not now,” he revealed.
Barcelona must cut €200 million to fund the arrival of Messi. The Argentinian is transfer-free this summer, but will also have to hand in a large part of his Paris Saint-Germain salary. According to Mundo Deportivo, the club expects a 25 to 30 percent increase in revenue when Messi returns.
Afellay about the rondos at Barça: “As if you are standing still on the highway”
Ibrahim Afellay has looked back on his time in the best Barcelona ever. At the end of 2010, the former midfielder joined a team that dominated the world with the famous tiqui-taca football.
At the time, Afellay made a winter top transfer from PSV to Barcelona. Suddenly he was on the field with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta. During the rondos, Afellay was amazed. “Like you’re standing still on the highway…,” he says. “Meanwhile, all those cars drove past me on all sides. That was bizarre. Barcelona dominated the football world at that time. It was very special to be part of that.”
Six months after his transfer, Afellay lifted the Champions League cup above his head at Wembley. He had made an important contribution in the semi-final by providing a ready-made cross to Messi against Real Madrid. He adds, “These are moments that they will never take away from my life.”
At the time, Afellay worked with Pep Guardiola, the current manager of Manchester City. “He’s still the best manager in the world,” he says. “Even in my time he was already a very great manager. Everywhere he’s been, he’s left his mark on the game.”
“Nowadays teams play much more on results, but he continues to opt for the attractive way of playing,” he continues. “I’m glad there are still trainers who think like him. I wish Guardiola that he can finally take that cup with City. It would be a nice reward for the football he puts on the mat from day one.”
