He has the most footballing talent we've ever seen, but also the misfortune that when things aren't going well, he takes all the blame. Whether that's fair or not. In a way, that sums up Lionel Messi's football career.
Having always received inordinate criticism in his own country for the simple fact of not winning a major international trophy, he is now suffering the same fate with Barcelona. It's almost as if people are forgetting all that he's done for the Blaugrana and his sport.
It's been a tumultuous few months at the club, with the squad in need of reconstruction and a board seemingly set on self-destruction. Along with that, results on the pitch haven't been coming either. And of course, as is logical, the world's best player gets the blame.
"Messi is hiding, Messi's going missing," shout the critics.
But that couldn't be further from the truth. Messi is trying, but people only judge his value in goals.
He took 10 shots against Cadiz and 11 against Juventus, more than double what he has averaged in the last four seasons (4.8 shots per game). Messi made 87 passes against Cadiz, and 86 against Juve (with a near 90 percent success rate).
Across both games, he also completed 20 dribbles and made nine key passes. Not bad for someone who's 'going missing'.
When the goals dry up, there's then a focus on what a player is doing defensively, something that Messi doesn't show up well on to the untrained eye. But the stats show a different story.
Against Cadiz he had 26 duels, far more than his average since 2016 of nine. Admittedly Messi lost the ball 12 times, but even that's only two more than his historical average.
These numbers aren't the sign of a man who's given up, or who is 'going missing and hiding'. Instead, they show an incredible footballer who is struggling with the weight of a team on his back, and one that is giving his all to do his best.
And even though it's not happening for Messi at the moment, it's not because he's 'going missing or hiding'.
D10S_LM10
757
Messi is not hiding or going anywhere only this missing is goal. πRemember one THING π FORM IS TEMPORARY BUT CLASS IS PERMANENT. This is the guy who has ruled the footballing world for last 12 + years.
FaithEvans
481
Letting Suarez go and not signing a replacement, this is how if feels to have Griezmann in a Barcelona shirt, the right player at the wrong club... These two reasons are why Barça are suffering this season.
Sayandeepboss
426
It's such a shame to blame on Messi. Things aren't just going well for now. He might not be one of the favourites like previous but people should also remember how Messi fans shouted that Ronaldo is finished when he performed average in his first season in Turin. After the dark night comes the morning. Messi will come back to his great form and that time people will be scared to face him
RogerCule
341
"Messi will be finished without Xavi." "Messi will be finished without Iniesta." "Messi will be finished without Neymar." Messi since Xavi left him: β’249 games ποΈ β’222 goals β½ β’101 Assists π °οΈ β’2 Ballon d'Ors π β’3 golden shoe π β’4 pichichi π β’2 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus best Sportsman π β’4 iffhs best playmaker π β’1 UEFA best forward π β’1 UEFA top scorer π Messi since Neymar left him: β’149 games ποΈ β’126 goals β½ β’61 Assists π °οΈ β’1 Ballon d'Or π β’2 golden shoe π β’3 pichichi π β’1 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus Sportsman π β’1 Iffhs best playmaker π β’1 UEFA best forward π β’1 UCL top scorer π Messi since Iniesta left him: β’94 games ποΈ β’82 goals β½ β’43 Assists π °οΈ β’1 Ballon d'Or π β’1 golden shoe π β’2 pichichi π β’1 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus Sportsman π β’1 iffhs playmaker π β’1 UCL top scorer π Since Messi is having few bad games recently, people are starting to say Messi is finished now, which Messi will prove wrong in a few years time.
kenyannerd
15
"Messi will be finished without Xavi." "Messi will be finished without Iniesta." "Messi will be finished without Neymar." Messi since Xavi left him: β’249 games ποΈ β’222 goals β½ β’101 Assists π °οΈ β’2 Ballon d'Ors π β’3 golden shoe π β’4 pichichi π β’2 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus best Sportsman π β’4 iffhs best playmaker π β’1 UEFA best forward π β’1 UEFA top scorer π Messi since Neymar left him: β’149 games ποΈ β’126 goals β½ β’61 Assists π °οΈ β’1 Ballon d'Or π β’2 golden shoe π β’3 pichichi π β’1 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus Sportsman π β’1 Iffhs best playmaker π β’1 UEFA best forward π β’1 UCL top scorer π Messi since Iniesta left him: β’94 games ποΈ β’82 goals β½ β’43 Assists π °οΈ β’1 Ballon d'Or π β’1 golden shoe π β’2 pichichi π β’1 FIFA best player π β’1 Lareus Sportsman π β’1 iffhs playmaker π β’1 UCL top scorer π Since Messi is having few bad games recently, people are starting to say Messi is finished now, which Messi will prove wrong in a few years time.
[image]
Not even years ,wait when matches will start to pile up in January,we are gonna see a rejuvenated Messi
RoyAbhinandan
8
[image]