Lionel Messi unlikely to change decision: Victor Font feels focus should be on making the transition smooth
The Lionel Messi transfer saga is the hottest topic in the football world right now with the Barcelona talisman wanting to leave the club after spending 16 years at it. Messi, who is often called as Barcelona's greatest player ever, has won everything with the club, but in the last three years, the Catalan giants have been completely dependant on the Argentine superstar. Champions League exits in 2017/18 to Roma and 2018/19 to Liverpool exposed Barcelona flaws but the final nail in the coffin was the 2-8 humiliation scoreline against Bayern Munich in last season UCL quarterfinals. After the defeat, Messi decided to finally leave the club and is highly linked to a move to Manchester City.
The massive release clause of 700 million euro is standing in the way of Messi's departure and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu is not ready to let off their biggest player so easily.
Barcelona presidential candidate in the next election Victor Font gave his opinion on the Messi's transfer saga and feels it seems unlikely that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner reverses his decision but said until it's over there is always hope.
"That's the hope, right? Until it's over there is always hope. And therefore I really hope the decision can be changed," Font told Sky Sports.
"It doesn't seem likely, though, and therefore if that's the case, the focus should be on making the transition as smooth as possible.
"And the ties between Messi and Barcelona that go very deep, remain there, so we can ensure somehow, the relationship continues in the future."
Font feels the current Barcelona management has failed to deliver the promise of building a competitive team which is leading to Messi's departure.
"Messi loves the club and he wants to win, he wants to compete - he has been saying this for many, many years, it's not just been for a few weeks and unfortunately the club has not been able to deliver on the promise of building a competitive team," said Font.
The 48-year-old further gave his stance on Messi's wanting to leave the club for free and said the current president has to honour the commitment he made a couple of months ago regarding players have earned the right to leave and retire whenever they want.
"The president as recently as a couple of months ago said players have earned the right to leave and retire whenever they want. Now, because of these very exceptional circumstances, the president has to honour that commitment if he is serious about that," he said.
