Topic: FC Barcelona

[Red-Soldier]

To think, just a few years ago, they had Messi, Neymar and Suarez up front 

[Darren G]

Do I buy him a drink if I ever meet him? 

No, he'll buy you one.  The most expensive one on the menu, even if he can't afford it and you don't want or need it.

[RedSince86]

Bartomeu is basically Peter Ridsdale on steroids, absolutely destroyed Barcelona with his utterly horrific financial mis-management.

Proper Barca fanboy wasn't he, you can imagine him being in absolute awe of Messi, and his fanboyism taking over giving Messi the stupid signing on fee of 100 plus million and loyalty payment of 77 million and $2 million a week wages.

Reminds me of that Ridsdale/Seth Johnson story leaked by his agent, Johnson and his agent were looking at 15-18K a week contract.

Ridsdale opening offer on the table was 45k a week.

[rob1966]

People who say he shouldn't play for free shouldn't be comparing it to normal people who can't and don't do it. Normal people on anything from £15,000 to the average salary of £31,000 wouldn't of course, but he was earning £53,000 AN HOUR. Think about that figure, think about how much money he gets for kicking a ball around a bit of grass. Its a totally different, weird, fucked up world of greed these people inhabit.

[Historical Fool]

I know it's crazy, stupid money he is on, but how many people does he employ, directly or even indirectly? Are they all expected to take the same pay cut or even work for nothing just because he would.

No one knows what his out goings are. Obviously will be nowhere near what he earns, unless he runs his affairs the same way as his employers.

Can he not just buy a pub and settle down now?

Running a F&B establishment today is a pure money sink and I’m sure he would be advised accordingly

[Clayton Bigsby]

Playing for free wouldn't have made a difference.

You can question why barca felt the need to give him so much money in his last contract though. That was highly negligent of the board

[Alan B'Stard]

People who say he shouldn't play for free shouldn't be comparing it to normal people who can't and don't do it. Normal people on anything from £15,000 to the average salary of £31,000 wouldn't of course, but he was earning £53,000 AN HOUR. Think about that figure, think about how much money he gets for kicking a ball around a bit of grass. Its a totally different, weird, fucked up world of greed these people inhabit.

It's the sports industry and isn't comparible to any other place of work. If you have a talent for something then you shouldn't do it for free - that goes for all walks of life
 

[keyop]

To think, just a few years ago, they had Messi, Neymar and Suarez up front 

They won the treble as recently as 2015, with ex-player Luis Enrique as manager, and a team of Ter Stegen, Alba, Pique, Mascherano, Alves, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Suarez, Neymar and Messi.

If someone had told you back then that 6 years later they'd be €1.3billion in debt, cutting wages, losing Messi, struggling to even register new players until they sell, and that Suarez had just scored his way to the title with Atletico - you'd have said they were mad.

Pandemic or not, the club has been spectacularly mismanaged since the heady heights of that summer, despite the La Liga titles in between.

If only the same fate could one day fall on City and PSG - both of whom would surely have to declare similar debts and be subjected to similar restrictions if their true finances were revealed.

[Red-Soldier]

It's the sports industry and isn't comparible to any other place of work. If you have a talent for something then you shouldn't do it for free - that goes for all walks of life

I'm glad your attitude isn't shared by everyone.  If everyone felt the same as you, there would be no charity sector whasoever!

[jooneyisdagod]

People who say he shouldn't play for free shouldn't be comparing it to normal people who can't and don't do it. Normal people on anything from £15,000 to the average salary of £31,000 wouldn't of course, but he was earning £53,000 AN HOUR. Think about that figure, think about how much money he gets for kicking a ball around a bit of grass. Its a totally different, weird, fucked up world of greed these people inhabit.

I don't agree. He is one of one. He is the best in the world at something that nearly everyone in large parts of the world want to do. He has come through more pressure and hard work and discipline that most of us normal people are able to do. Many have the talent and the application. Every professional footballer is probably within .01% of all those that kick a ball in talent and application levels. Among them, Messi is no.1. But not just among those that are playing right now, also very likely among those that have ever player. At least there is an argument that way. I don't begrudge someone that has put the effort in earning any amount of money. If he can get it, good for him.

[Barneylfc∗]

People who say he shouldn't play for free shouldn't be comparing it to normal people who can't and don't do it. Normal people on anything from £15,000 to the average salary of £31,000 wouldn't of course, but he was earning £53,000 AN HOUR. Think about that figure, think about how much money he gets for kicking a ball around a bit of grass. Its a totally different, weird, fucked up world of greed these people inhabit.

And he deserves every last penny of it. Pathetic to suggest otherwise.

[rob1966]

And he deserves every last penny of it. Pathetic to suggest otherwise.

Deserves £53,000 PER HOUR???

[Barneylfc∗]

Yes

[macmanamanaman]

And he deserves every last penny of it. Pathetic to suggest otherwise.

In a weird way, one may even say one should feel sorry for Messi.
Money - and especially his and his entourage's collective perception of its value - will be the primary decider for his life action.
Even if his heart says "Barcelona", his mind will overrule and chose "who ever gives me the most money" (PSG or any other humans rights abuser, who cares).

At some point, he may ask himself: Do I own my money, or does my money own me?

[jooneyisdagod]

Sports is also one of the quickest ways for someone from the working class/the poor to become enormously wealthy. Of course, it takes incredible sacrifice at a time in their lives when almost everyone else around them falters. For that reason alone, I don't begrudge them making any amount of money. The way I see it, why not?!

[macmanamanaman]

Messi , for all his millions in the bank - is not free.
He may wish to play for Barcelona or Stoke, or any other club that he fancies. But his slavemaster - €£$ - will only allow him to play for the highest bidder (PSG, or City/Chelsea if they fancy him).

How sad is that?
To be the best footballer in the world, and not be free to do as you wish in life?

He is his own prisoner.

[Hoenheim]

He is probably the best player to ever play the sport, dragged Barca out of mediocrity by winning a lot of trophies and generating a shit ton of money for the club, why wouldn't he deserve that wage. Mayweather won north of 100 mil for boxing for half an hour,multiple times.

[Red-Soldier]

And he deserves every last penny of it. Pathetic to suggest otherwise.

What a load of shite!

All top footballers (sportspeople) are vastly overpaid, with Messi being the most!  He kicks a ball of inflated leather around a piece of grass, it's not like he does anything important!

[Barneylfc∗]

Messi , for all his millions in the bank - is not free.
He may wish to play for Barcelona or Stoke, or any other club that he fancies. But his slavemaster - €£$ - will only allow him to play for the highest bidder (PSG, or City/Chelsea if they fancy him).

How sad is that?
To be the best footballer in the world, and not be free to do as you wish in life?

He is his own prisoner.

Has he told you he only wants to play for the club that offers him the most money?
Why would he join Luton and play for free? Would you do your job for free?

[Samie]

He is probably the best player to ever play the sport, dragged Barca out of mediocrity by winning a lot of trophies and generating a shit ton of money for the club, why wouldn't he deserve that wage. Mayweather won north of 100 mil for boxing for half an hour,multiple times.

Barcelona weren't in mediocrity when he debuted. They had Ronaldinho at the peak of his powers along with Deco, Etoo etc.

[Barneylfc∗]

What a load of shite!

All top footballers are vastly overpaid, with Messi being the most!  He kicks a ball of inflated leather around a piece of grass, it's not like he does anything important!

And yet you still invest your money, time and emotions in the unimportant act of people kicking a ball of inflated leather around a piece of grass.

[Red-Soldier]

And yet you still invest your money, time and emotions in the unimportant act of people kicking a ball of inflated leather around a piece of grass.

Who says I do?? I don't and never will give my money to any top flight club.  I choose to give my time and cash to environmental charities instead - much more derserving I feel.

[jooneyisdagod]

Who says I do?? I don't and never will give my money to any top flight club.  I choose to give my time and cash to environmental charities instead - much more derserving I feel.

Perhaps you are true to your words and do not engage with any aspect of the sport including, for example, news articles about football. Nonetheless, there are hundreds of millions around the world that do spend a lot of money watching the sport and participating in the general circus around it. Messi commands the attention of a significant chunk of these and therefore he is able to command a significant share of those revenues. He is by that rationale making exactly what he deserves.

[rafathegaffa83]

For those wondering why he didn't just play for free

Colin Millar@Millar_Colin
It would have been legally impossible for Lionel Messi to play for free at Barcelona. Any new contract is, by Spanish law, required to be a minimum of 50 percent of previous wage (this is in place to avoid financial manipulation).

[Romford_Red]

From my teens to my mid 30's, I had the time of my life. Parties, alcohol, festivals, all nighters, existing on junk food and basically just having a blast.

I'm not saying they don't have other fun, but anyone who wants to be a top player has to sacrifice ALL of that, without even the assurance they'll get there (innate talent & opportunity you can do little to control) along with the knowledge that the next tackle can end that career.

I won't say top players deserve their wages, but I'll also never say that they don't.

[RedForeverTT]

Messi , for all his millions in the bank - is not free.
He may wish to play for Barcelona or Stoke, or any other club that he fancies. But his slavemaster - €£$ - will only allow him to play for the highest bidder (PSG, or City/Chelsea if they fancy him).

How sad is that?
To be the best footballer in the world, and not be free to do as you wish in life?

He is his own prisoner.

His father is his agent. So maybe child slavery is still allowed in Argentina.

[67CherryRed]

What a load of shite!

All top footballers (sportspeople) are vastly overpaid, with Messi being the most!  He kicks a ball of inflated leather around a piece of grass, it's not like he does anything important!

Do you feel just as passionate about the sort of fees Tom Cruise picks up for each Mission Impossible film? He's just acting, it's not like he does anything important.

Sportsmen bring more joy than actors ever will, yet the 'overpaid' thing is never thrown in their direction.

[Barneylfc∗]

Who says I do?? I don't and never will give my money to any top flight club.  I choose to give my time and cash to environmental charities instead - much more derserving I feel.

You've never been to a single Liverpool game?
You've never bought a replica shirt?
You've never bought a single piece of memorabilia?
You've never placed a bet?
You've never subscribed to Sky or BT?
You've never been to a pub showing a game?

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Perhaps you are true to your words and do not engage with any aspect of the sport including, for example, news articles about football. Nonetheless, there are hundreds of millions around the world that do spend a lot of money watching the sport and participating in the general circus around it. Messi commands the attention of a significant chunk of these and therefore he is able to command a significant share of those revenues. He is by that rationale making exactly what he deserves.

I am all for the players and not the owners taking money out of the game but fuck me to say that any man is worth £50,000+ph is crackers.

The game is fucked because all clubs and payers are greedy bastards,fuck ffp (even though it is needed asap) the owners should be reducing tickets prices,£20-30 is the maximum we should be forced to pay & that reduction in revenue should come out of the players salaries.

[Bangin Them In]

Deserves £53,000 PER HOUR???

He generated the club more than that PER HOUR, by multiples in revenue and exposure worldwide, that will vastly diminish now

Economy of scale, the numbers quoted are always the players wage and not the positive £££ he brings to the club

And Barcelona know it

[Clayton Bigsby]

It will need a stupidly huge club to fold for people to understand how precarious finances are in sport. May e Barcelona can be that martyr

[macmanamanaman]

Has he told you he only wants to play for the club that offers him the most money?
Why would he join Luton and play for free? Would you do your job for free?

Everyone has a choice.
If I choose I will do my job for free.

The hypocricy is Messi crying or shedding tears and claiming he wanted to play for Barcelona but circumstances prevented this.
That is hogwash and pure dishonesty from him.

There are multiple avenues open to him and his highly paid advisory firms to figure out ways to play for Barcelona if he so wished e.g. not playing for free, but say, instead, investing some of his millions in the club. Or something financial and accounting people can figure out, on his command.

The real and simple truth is: He prefers the cash, regardless of where it comes from , and therefore is moving to PSG.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Would be totally fine to do this, as any of us in his position would as well. Totally behind this.

But what I find distasteful is pretending that it is anything other than this. He is a hypocrite.

[Sheer Magnetism]

He is probably the best player to ever play the sport, dragged Barca out of mediocrity by winning a lot of trophies and generating a shit ton of money for the club, why wouldn't he deserve that wage. Mayweather won north of 100 mil for boxing for half an hour,multiple times.

Because it's dragged the biggest club in the world by revenue close to bankruptcy? Do you think the contract, the fact it meant everyone else's wages had to be increased and the board having to spend eyewatering sums on a team he thought was good enough was, in the end, worth it? They were already European champions the year he made his debut.

[Bangin Them In]

Everyone has a choice.
If I choose I will do my job for free.

The hypocricy is Messi crying or shedding tears and claiming he wanted to play for Barcelona but circumstances prevented this.
That is hogwash and pure dishonesty from him.

There are multiple avenues open to him and his highly paid advisory firms to figure out ways to play for Barcelona if he so wished e.g. not playing for free, but say, instead, investing some of his millions in the club. Or something financial and accounting people can figure out, on his command.

The real and simple truth is: He prefers the cash, regardless of where it comes from , and therefore is moving to PSG.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Would be totally fine to do this, as any of us in his position would as well. Totally behind this.

But what I find distasteful is pretending that it is anything other than this. He is a hypocrite.

Every player does this when they leave

Grealish with Villa, Kane when he leaves Spurs, whoever leaves always tells tales of woe and how they didn't want it that way

Then they sleep on a bed of cash, Messi is no worse or better, the clubs agree the contracts, they can chose how much they will pay, anyone would take the money, even if it is ludicrous, we'd all laugh our way to ridiculous wealth, to say otherwise is the hypocrisy

[west_london_red]

Just to put those wages into context, he was earning in 5 hours what Mo Salah earns in a week, and it’s not like Mo is going hungry. Messi’s past greed and the inflationary pressure that then has on his teammates pay is one of the reasons why the club are in the mess that they are in.

[Barneylfc∗]

Everyone has a choice.
If I choose I will do my job for free.

The hypocricy is Messi crying or shedding tears and claiming he wanted to play for Barcelona but circumstances prevented this.
That is hogwash and pure dishonesty from him.

There are multiple avenues open to him and his highly paid advisory firms to figure out ways to play for Barcelona if he so wished e.g. not playing for free, but say, instead, investing some of his millions in the club. Or something financial and accounting people can figure out, on his command.

The real and simple truth is: He prefers the cash, regardless of where it comes from , and therefore is moving to PSG.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Would be totally fine to do this, as any of us in his position would as well. Totally behind this.

But what I find distasteful is pretending that it is anything other than this. He is a hypocrite.

You're a bit thick aren't you?

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Just to put those wages into context, he was earning in 5 hours what Mo Salah earns in a week, and it’s not like Mo is going hungry. Messi’s past greed and the inflationary pressure that then has on his teammates pay is one of the reasons why the club are in the mess that they are in.

I'll laugh my tits off if he ends up being the reason why Barca end up fucked for a decade of more.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

You're a bit thick aren't you?

 We can't all be as enlightened as you

[jooneyisdagod]

I am all for the players and not the owners taking money out of the game but fuck me to say that any man is worth £50,000+ph is crackers.

The game is fucked because all clubs and payers are greedy bastards,fuck ffp (even though it is needed asap) the owners should be reducing tickets prices,£20-30 is the maximum we should be forced to pay & that reduction in revenue should come out of the players salaries.

It's not so much about greed. This is supply and demand in action. If everyone decided tomorrow morning that 20 pounds is all anyone would pay to watch a game, that subscriptions to Sky Sports/BT Sports/NBC etc should not be more than 5 pounds per month and voted with their wallet, the figures that athletes earn would come tumbling down. At the moment, we continue to tolerate these prices. And therefore the clubs continue to charge what they do and players earn what they do, broadcasters charge what they can. This is not greed at any individual sector.

[macmanamanaman]

You're a bit thick aren't you?

I m actually thicc


Also, I am wide.
I aspire to be broad, in general.