Barcelona 2020 review: Lionel Messi transfer saga, boardroom chaos and that Bayern defeat

Spanish giants Barcelona have had a tumultuous time on and off the field, a fact that has been out in the open for a while now. The club's calendar year 2020 was filled with conflicts and struggles, amid mounting criticism directed at the board. From Lionel Messi's burofax saga to Luis Suarez's transfer as well as president Josep Maria Bartomeu's resignation, club fans have seen it all this year. Not to forget, Barcelona went trophyless in the season that predated the ongoing campaign. 

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Barcelona season review: Bayern humiliate Lionel Messi and Co. 

Barcelona had already lost out the opportunity to win the Spanish Super Cup after the semi-final exit against Atletico Madrid. The LaLiga title appeared a distant dream with Real Madrid in the driving seat. Under such a situation, the Champions League was the only saviour for manager Quique Setien. 

Things seemed fine until Barcelona were paired up against Bayern Munich in the final eight of the European club competition. UEFA had decided to do away with the two-leg format owing to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Bavarians decided to brush it all up against Barcelona in the single-leg clash. 

Bayern Munich hammered the Catalan giants in the quarter-final with Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho bagging a brace each to round up an 8-2 scorecard. What followed was embarrassment and criticism with manager Quique Setien getting the sack within just six months of his arrival. 

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Barcelona season review: Lionel Messi transfer news rocks Camp Nou 

Following the Bayern defeat, Barcelona could get hold of no trophies that season. The club's failure to introduce a decent transfer policy propelled their main-man Lionel Messi to seek an exit last summer. Reportedly, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner was also upset with the club not ensuring Neymar's return. 

The burofax saga turned out to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Messi urged the club to let him leave on a free transfer citing the special clause in his contract. But Bartomeu insisted that the clause was past its date and any prospective club should pay his release clause, estimated at €700 million, in its entirety, to sign him.

LaLiga's stand was in favour of Bartomeu, compelling the Argentina international to continue for yet another season. Speaking to Goal, the Barcelona man said, "I am going to continue in the club because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700m clause and that this is impossible." 

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Barcelona 2020 Board chaos out in open 

Following the transfer saga, fans stormed the Camp Nou in support of Messi, while also raising slogans against Bartomeu. Fans demanded the president to step down. To meet this end, signatures were being collected in a move for a vote of no confidence demanding his ouster. 

Players were also averse to some of the president's policies. Following the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, the club suffered heavy financial losses. First-team players readily accepted the wage cut proposal, but talks of an additional wage cut brought about a wave of resentment in the dressing room, with players openly up against the president.

Meanwhile, the requisite number of signatures were collected and the vote of no confidence was just around the corner when the infamous president decided to step down. The vacant presidential office, occupied only by interim president Carles Tusquets further casts doubt over Messi's contractual situation at the club. Notably, fresh Barcelona elections have been scheduled for January 24, 2021. 

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Luis Suarez exits, will Lionel Messi follow?

Until then, Messi will be legally permitted to negotiate with other clubs for a prospective free transfer next summer. Meanwhile, the captain's former teammate and best friend Luis Suarez is already out of the club. The Uruguayan international was deemed surplus to manager Ronald Koeman's plans. 

He was ultimately sold off to Atletico de Madrid. More exits are expected in the summer, Messi being the prominent one. Barcelona's struggling form in LaLiga and lack of reinforcements the previous summer might force the Argentina international to bring an end to his decorated Camp Nou career. 

Image courtesy: Leo Messi Instagram