Barcelona Left to Say Thanks for the Memories As Messi Heads for Paris
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Established 1961 15 Sports Wednesday, August 11, 2021 Barcelona left to say thanks for the memories as Messi heads for Paris PARIS: There was once the romantic sor to club president Joan Gaspart, writing He leaves Barcelona as their all-time top notion that whenever Lionel Messi finally out his contract offer to the player on a scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances. left Barcelona he would return to napkin because he had no paper to hand. His goal tally is a record for one club. He is Argentina and play for Newell’s Old Boys, He made his La Liga debut aged 17 in La Liga’s top marksman of all time by a the club he supported as a boy. Paris October 2004 in a 1-0 derby win against distance with 474, the man with the most Saint-Germain, a club transformed by the an Espanyol side featuring Mauricio hat-tricks in Spain’s top flight too. A year unfathomable state wealth of Qatar, is a Pochettino, Messi’s fellow Argentine who ago Messi tried to leave Barcelona for free rather less romantic destination for the will now coach him at PSG. Barcelona fans following their 8-2 annihilation by Bayern player Barcelona fans hoped would never had no doubts about what kind of player Munich in the Champions League. He was turn out for anyone else. they had on their hands after La Pulga (The forced to stay after being told an exit At the age of 34, Messi did not want to Flea) scored his first goal for the club. Over clause in his contract had expired. He went leave the Camp Nou, certainly not in the 91,000 were inside the Camp Nou on a on to top score in La Liga with 30 goals. manner he ultimately did. He had agreed a balmy Sunday in May 2005. He won 35 trophies with the Catalans, new five-year deal but the cash-strapped Messi replaced Samuel Eto’o in the the last the Copa del Rey in April. The club Catalans could not afford to make it hap- 88th minute. In the 90th he lifted the ball of Cruyff is also now the club of Messi. pen. PSG can. over the goalkeeper and in from a bril- “We have eternal gratitude to him,” said liant Ronaldinho assist only for the goal club president Joan Laporta. In 2019 Messi The greatest of all? to be unfairly disallowed. Sixty seconds won his record sixth Ballon d’Or in a cere- Messi is arguably the greatest of all later he did the same thing again and this mony in Paris. time, even though he has never won the time it stood. Irreplaceable World Cup and won the last of his four That same month, Messi won his first Barcelona, who famously paid for a year Champions Leagues in 2015. Winning league title, Barcelona’s first in six years. of growth hormone treatment for the that competition is all that matters to The rest is history. He won his first young Messi on his arrival, insisted in the BARCELONA: Workers remove posters featuring Barcelona’s departing Argentinian PSG and their Qatari owners and that is Champions League in 2006. He was just past they had plans for coping with his forward Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona yesterday. — AFP why they are paying Messi a reported 35 19 when he scored his first hat-trick in a departure, whenever it came. But the truth million euros ($41m) a year for the dura- Clasico. After Pep Guardiola took over is their number 10 is irreplaceable — on tion of his contract. as coach in 2008, Barcelona became one the field and off. According to Catalan firm indicated he generated income of 619 defeats, in the 2014 World Cup final and in Barcelona had already ruined them- of the greatest club teams of all time financial firm Diagonal Inversiones, Messi million euros in that time. At 34, Messi still three Copa America finals. But in July he selves to keep Messi, but they knew how with Messi the superstar. In Guardiola’s is worth more than his salary — by a dis- has so much to offer, for his new club and for captained his country to victory over Brazil special a player they had on their hands final season, 2011/12, Messi scored an tance. The father of three — married to his country. in the Copa America final at the Maracana. virtually from the moment he arrived from astonishing 50 league goals. In 2012 he childhood sweetheart Antonella — may Messi won Olympic gold with Argentina Next year the man brought to Paris by his native Rosario aged 13. The story of his scored 91 goals in the calendar year for have earned some 384 million euros in the in 2008 but until last month his internation- Qatari wealth will have perhaps his last signing is legendary, Charly Rexach, advi- club and country. past four years at Barca, but a study by the al career was best known for agonizing shot at World Cup glory, in Qatar. — AFP vious year’s semi-final, when neither starlet scored. open a tight Champions League semi-final first leg The seven wonders Pep Guardiola’s side took revenge in the 2009 final. with a low shot from outside the box in the 77th Samuel Eto’o had already given Barcelona the lead minute. Two minutes later he put Jerome Boateng Messi’s record-breaking when little Leo added an astonishing second, soaring on his backside, before chipping another World of Messi: His above two much bigger center backs, Nemanja Vidic Cup winner, Manuel Neuer. In added time, Messi club career in numbers and Rio Ferdinand, to head past Edwin van der Sar. set up Neymar for the third. Barcelona beat greatest games Juventus in the final. PARIS: As Paris Saint-Germain yesterday prepared to April 6, 2010: Barcelona v Arsenal welcome Lionel Messi after a record-breaking spell at PARIS: Lionel Messi dazzled from his debut in Barcelona were in trouble against Arsene April 23, 2017: Real Madrid v Barcelona Barcelona, here is a look at some of the key numbers in 2004 and has been regularly brilliant in 778 games Wenger’s Arsenal when they fell behind at home in Bloodied by Real’s Marcelo, Messi still inspired the Argentine’s club career. for Barcelona and 151 for Argentina. AFP Sport picks their Champions League quarter-final second leg to a late fightback as Barcelona won 3-2 at the 6: the number of Ballons d’Or, football’s most presti- out seven of his most radiant displays: trail 3-2 on aggregate. As the Londoners continued Bernabeu late in the Liga campaign. Madrid took gious individual award, won by Messi since the start of his to attack, Messi ran rampant. Starting with a long- an early lead but Messi accelerated past two career (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019), one more April 18, 2007: Barcelona v Getafe range shot before conjuring two more from nothing defenders to level. Ivan Rakitic gave Barcelona the than his perennial rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. At 19, Lionel Messi was already well established and ending with a low shot. He would score five lead and Sergio Ramos was sent off for fouling 35: the number of trophies Messi won in a Barcelona in Frank Rijkaard’s team when he evoked memories against Bayer Leverkusen in a 7-1 win in 2012, a year Messi. With five minutes to go Real equalised but, shirt. In detail, he has won four Champions Leagues, 10 of Diego Maradona by dribbling more than half the in which he racked up 91 goals. But the Arsenal maul- two minutes into added time, Messi scored his Spanish championships, seven Copas del Rey, three length of the field to score in the first leg of a Copa ing stands out as his most dazzling Barcelona display. 500th Barcelona goal to secure victory. He cele- European Super Cups, eight Spanish Super Cups and del Rey semi-final. Barca were leading Getafe 1-0 at brated by holding his shirt out to the stunned three Club World Cups. the Camp Nou when, like Maradona against England April 27, 2011: Real Madrid v Barcelona Madrid supporters, his chin raised in a sign of defi- 50: the number of goals scored by Messi in La Liga in in 1986, Messi collected the ball facing his own goal, In his first meeting with Real Madid in Europe, ance. Barcelona moved into first but later faltered the 38 matches of the 2011-2012 season, a record. That near the right touchline and just inside his own half. Messi turned the Champions League semi-final tie as Real took the title. season he scored a total of 73 (another record). Like Maradona, on his way to the ‘Goal of the with two goals in the last 15 minutes, with the home 74.9: Messi’s net salary in millions of euros at Century’, Messi set off. He beat six opponents and side down to 10 men in the first leg at the Bernabeu. July 11, 2021: Brazil v Argentina Barcelona per season, according to Spanish daily El the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into the net. The first was a sharp strike at the near post, the sec- Messi has struggled to duplicate club success Mundo. In Paris, his salary would be around 40m euros, Barca won 5-2 with two goals and an assist from ond was typical Messi brilliance, picking the ball up for his country, reaching one World Cup final and ($46.9m) according to the French press, which would put their No.19, but lost 4-0 in the second leg.