Lionel Messi was the picture of utter defeat following Barcelona's elimination from the Champions League Friday last week. The Spanish giants were shell-shocked by the onslaught of attacks coming from Bayern Munich, and when the smoke was cleared the score read 8-2. A shakeup is bound to happen at Camp Nou.
In the immediate aftermath, Barca boss Quique Setien was removed from his post and Eric Abidal followed soon. A roster clear out is expected in the season break as Barcelona will attempt to recover quickly from the setback.
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed that Robert Koeman is getting the top job next season and taking over soon. The new coach will certainly introduce changes and one big move coming from him could be the transition away from Messi as the Barcelona figurehead.
Media reports suggested that the team captain wants out of Camp Nou and expects it to happen soon. If true, it is an opportune time for the Catalans to grant Messi his wishes and then move to a new direction, according to Give Me Sport.
It was clear that the humiliating Champions League defeat shattered the Argentine superstar and he is likely grappling for the reasons to continue with his current side. Should that be the case, Barcelona can make it easy for the skipper by releasing him and signing a new main man in his stead.
"A new figurehead is needed, someone who is going to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, someone who isn't approaching the twilight of their career," the report said.
That new leader has to be Neymar, who has been plotting since 2019 to make his way back to the La Liga giants. The Brazilian as the new point man makes sense. He is only 29 and has years of spectacular feats ahead of him.
Neymar has powered Paris Saint-Germain to a Champions League finals appearance and a win by the French side will only add up to the attacker's already rising stock. He is proving he can carry a team to great achievements, which he likely can replicate with Barcelona, the report added.
However, the first problem for Barcelona to solve is how to bring the South American superstar back to Spain. According to Bartomeu, last time he checked Neymar was not for sale and it remains so to this day.
"Going for a player when the club he is in doesn't want to sell him is impossible," Metro reported the executive as saying.
Bartomeu said PSG's stance on Neymar is not surprising at all because big clubs want to keep great players. The Parisians want the Brazilian to stay in France and in the same way, Barcelona will make the best offer to re-sign their former man.
Reports from Spain said Barcelona will pay big cash for Neymar and for PSG to agree, the Catalans are willing to send Antoine Griezmann to the other side. It's still unknown though if the Parisians find the swap deal offer tempting.
