In a stunning turn of events that ended with Barcelona star Lionel Messi communicating his desire to leave, it’s safe to say the decision shook the entire footballing world. Now, he has decided on his next destination, and that is Manchester City, according to Marcelo Bechler.
Lionel Messi Wants Premier League Move to Manchester City
Messi Unhappy at Barcelona
Even before the humiliation Barcelona received in the Champions League this season against Bayern Munich, there were rumblings that Messi was unhappy. Unhappy with the board, unhappy with the president, and unhappy with the club’s treatment of its players.
After suffering similar Champions League failures in recent years, though nothing really compares to the Bayern Munich match, Messi felt he was approaching the end of the road.
It’s very clear that a massive rebuild is required at Barcelona, and a player of Messi’s calibre shouldn’t, and doesn’t, want to spend his last years as a glorified babysitter for the youngsters.
Reunion With Former Manager
There is no manager in world football that epitomises Johan Cruyff more than current City manager Pep Guardiola. During his spell in charge of Barca, he oversaw and created what was arguably the greatest team of all time, with Messi as his ace.
The Argentine’s best moments of his career coincided with Guardiola’s tenure, and no one could blame him for wanting to join Pep’s relatively new project in Manchester.
No team plays more like Guardiola’s Barca, including the current Barca, than Man City at the moment, and it seems Messi would fit right in. An issue the manager has had in England is an inability to go far in the Champions League, which the 33-year-old could definitely solve.
It will also be interesting to see how Messi would fare in the Premier League, a significantly more physical, faster-paced league. He’s arguably the best player in the world, but it’ll be fascinating to see if his ageing legs can keep up with the league for the entire season.
Nonetheless, if Messi does join Manchester City, it’ll be a massive signing for Guardiola and his side, as well as a big blow to Barcelona. This move is sure to shake up not just the entire football world, but the entire sporting world.
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