Messi always overcomes his duels

After the humiliating defeat to Bayern Munich in Lisbon, Lionel Messi started his latest duel against Barcelona.

He sent a transfer request in via burofax, he negotiated a possible exit and, in the end, he accepted staying at the Camp Nou for another year.

"I'm going to stay at Barcelona and my attitude isn't going to change, because I wanted to leave," Messi told Goal.

"I'm going to do my best. I always want to win, I'm competitive and I never like losing."

That hard-hitting interview was evidence that, despite not being able to leave, Messi has won his duel with the club and is prepared to play on.

He's been here before, too, with two occasions particularly similar to the situation he and Barcelona are experiencing right now.

From Rijkaard to Guardiola in 2008

Frank Rijkaard's last season in charge of Barcelona in 2007/08 has been perhaps the worst Messi has been part of at the club.

The Blaugrana finished sixth in LaLiga Santander, went out in the semi-finals of the Champions League to Manchester United and were dumped out of the Copa del Rey by Ronald Koeman's Valencia.

President Joan Laporta survived a vote of no confidence, while Messi travelled to China to win a gold medal at the Olympics with Argentina.

Back at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola's arrival changed everything, as he led a revolution which saw the departures of Ronaldinho and Deco among others.

In the 2008/09 season, Messi scored 38 goals and provided 18 assists as Barcelona won the first league, cup and Champions League treble in their history, bringing the Ballon d'Or his way too.

From Tata Martino to Luis Enrique in 2014

Aside from the Supercopa de Espana, Tata Martino's Barcelona did not win a major trophy during the 2013/14 season.

Atletico Madrid beat them to the LaLiga Santander title and knocked them out of the Champions League, while Real Madrid edged them in the Copa del Rey final.

In the summer of 2014, with Barcelona's board preoccupied by the Neymar transfer fee, Messi wanted to leave the club.

A conversation with Tito Vilanova persuaded the No.10 to stay and it was a good thing he did.

Luis Enrique was appointed as Martino's successor and got rid of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez while bringing in Luis Suarez.

Alongside Neymar and Suarez, Messi led Barcelona to another treble with 58 goals and 29 assists in all competitions, and he wrestled the Ballon d'Or back off Cristiano Ronaldo.

Current climate

Barcelona and Messi find themselves at a similar point at the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

After a summer of turmoil, the club and player find themselves back where they started, as Messi forms part of Koeman's project going forward.

The Dutchman's squad overhaul has connotations of the ones carried out by Guardiola and Luis Enrique, so it remains to be seen whether it can have the same impact on the field.