Barça continues to enjoy success on the pitch and in financial reports but the way the club is run leaves a lot to be desired. Being run as a fiscal business entity is great if it means the club is in safe financial hands but that same treatment should not be used towards its staff and players. Messi’s outburst is a perfect example of the Barça board making themselves their own worst enemies.
There’s been a lot to cheer for as a Barça fan. Yesterday’s memorable come from behind victory is a perfect example. However, it is still difficult to forget what transpired a few days before the match. Messi’s comments a few days ago to a radio station were unexpected but not surprising. Messi came out with a scathing attacking on Barça Vice-President Javier Faus following the latter’s comments in a recent radio interview as well. It’s rare that we get to see Messi display such temperament in person, let alone on the pitch. However, the club only have themselves to blame for getting such a reaction from Messi.
Mr. Faus’s stated that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract while also referring to Messi as “this gentleman” were idiotic and a display of lack of respect and affection by the club towards Messi. It’s not usual that the club seems to lack a bit of common sense when it comes to dealing with individuals at the club; be it managers or players or even staff members.
Even if FC Barcelona continues to grow as a business entity that reaches all across the globe, the club still seems to have a long ways to go in how to treat their own better. Everyone knows how the club’s relationship is with Johan Cruyff, one of the main reasons this club is where it is today. Furthermore, Guardiola left the club under a shroud of dark and mysterious clouds. It is a sad tale of affairs when the club seemingly has no relationship with the last 3 managers who won the club their only Champions League titles; Cruyff, Guardiola and Frank Rijkaard.
Moreover, their treatment of those figures and current players seem to lack some common sense. It’s embarrassing when the club president, Sandro Rosell, offers to welcome Johan Cruyff to the Camp Nou without first paying the 30,000 euros owed to Cruyff’s charity organization. It’s mind boggling when the team discards one of their important medical trainers without getting some feedback from its players. It’s disturbing when, supposedly, a player suggests a candidate for the goal keeper’s coach position and is denied that choice because such candidate used to play for Real Madrid once.
There is a lack of warmth displayed by the club when it comes to handling things. The club appears to be run by businessmen and accountants who seem to neglect that they are also dealing with human beings who have feelings. The club’s decision not to renew Eric Abidal was heart breaking and somewhat revolting. One director promises that Abidal will have a new deal when he returns to action and a few months later, Abidal is being told his services are no longer needed. That surely disappointed fans but breaking your word to a player is downright disrespectful and you don’t need to be a psychologist to see that this could also bother current players who wonder if their futures lies elsewhere.
Messi’s surprising display of fury when Barcelona Vice President Javier Faus made the foolish statements that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract and referring to Messi as “un senyor (this gentleman)” were pointless and smacked a sense of out of touch. Messi replied that Faus was someone who “knows nothing about football.” Thus, the flame had been lit.
Fortunately, Messi’s father put all of us Cules’ fears to rest by reassuring us that Messi was not going to leave the club. Sandro Rosell also replied that his door is always open to Messi. This was the last thing Messi needed following outlandish allegations that Messi and his family were connected to drug trafficking and money laundering. We have grown accustomed to such shady reporting from the Spanish capital media. It’s easier to find someone guilty in the court of public opinion than it is in actual court. I am not expecting the club to start threatening lawsuits on behalf of the player but it would also help if the club was not also adding to his distractions from afar.
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