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The Argentine got here off the bench to show Sunday’s conflict with Actual Betis on its head following yet one more week of hypothesis concerning his future
Match statistics: Real Betis 2-3 Barcelona
The sight of Lionel Messi sat within the stands at Estadio Benito Villamarin in the course of the first half of Barcelona’s conflict with Actual Betis on Sunday informed the story of the Blaugrana’s struggles.
Masked and together with his head in his palms after one other attacking transfer broke down, the Argentine should have puzzled when, not if, he could be referred to as upon to place it proper by Ronald Koeman.
Messi was considered one of quite a lot of first-team regulars who have been left on the bench for the Liga conflict, with a Copa del Rey semi-final in opposition to Sevilla to return on Wednesday and the first-leg of their Champions League conflict with Paris Saint-Germain solely 9 days away.
Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Sergino Dest have been additionally stored in reserve, but it surely was Messi’s absence from the beginning line-up that was most keenly felt.
With out him, Barca struggled to create, with the in-form Antoine Griezmann clearly failing to make something occur with out Messi there to take the eye of Betis defenders away from him.
The guests didn’t muster a shot heading in the right direction, nor concede a foul in a tepid 45 minutes of soccer.
It took till the 56th minute earlier than Koeman lastly relented, his aspect 1-0 right down to Borja Iglesias’ close-range end whereas the introduction of Pedri at half-time had finished little to change the sample of the sport.
Inside 136 seconds, Barca have been stage, Messi firing in a low strike from the sting of the field after reducing inside onto his left-foot.
Inside 12 minutes of his introduction they have been forward, as Messi’s fantastically weighted, first-time ball allowed Jordi Alba to cross for Griezmann, who in flip noticed his botched effort bobble in off Betis defender Victor Ruiz for an personal objective.
If it was not clear earlier than, it’s now – for all that they fight, Barca can solely proceed to constantly operate if Messi is round.
The Camp Nou outfit have been unbeaten of their six video games with out Messi this season earlier than Sunday’s conflict, however these matches included two Champions League lifeless rubbers, a Copa match in opposition to third-division opposition and league fixtures in opposition to two of the present backside 4 sides.
However confronted with a aspect that’s difficult for European qualification below Manuel Pellegrini, they may not cope with out their talisman.
All that once more brings up the massive elephant that continues to take a seat within the Camp Nou centre circle as Barca toil each on and off the sphere: Messi’s future.
The previous week has once more been dominated with discuss of what occurs on the finish of the season for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner; from Angel Di Maria calling for his compatriot to join him at PSG to Koeman hitting out the media for relentlessly questioning him on the topic.
As revealed by Goal on Thursday, Messi is yet to make any decision on his future, with stories of ongoing talks with golf equipment corresponding to PSG and Manchester Metropolis huge of the mark.
However sat ready to return on in Seville he should have puzzled whether or not, as he approaches his thirty fourth birthday, he nonetheless needs to be the one, and seemingly solely participant who can get Barca over the road in opposition to even mediocre opposition.
With the club in financial turmoil, there is unlikely to be any kind of big-money arrival who can take the pressure off Messi ought to he determine to remain, and although youngsters Pedri and Ansu Fati have each proven themselves to be able to producing moments of magic, they shouldn’t be burdened with extra duty they will deal with, notably if Fati’s struggles to recover from knee surgery have a lasting effect on his game.
And although it was not Messi who proved to the match-winner on Sunday, with fellow substitute Francisco Trincao curling dwelling the successful objective within the 3-2 victory three minutes from time after Ruiz had atoned for his earlier error with a objective on the proper finish, it’s clear the end result wouldn’t have been doable with out his intervention.
Does he actually nonetheless have the drive to hold this aspect to victory over groups they need to be beating with ease whereas doubtlessly persevering with to fail on the highest stage?
If not, on this proof Messi’s supporting solid should enhance quick to point out they will take care of his departure.
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