Lionel Messi's first & last Barcelona goal goes viral as fans laud departing icon

Barcelona fans are yet to come to terms with the fact they might have seen the last of their beloved Lionel Messi. Arguably one of the best players in world football, Lionel Messi spent 20 years at the Nou Camp, winning every possible trophy at club level. The humiliating end to the 2019-20 season saw Messi lose faith in the Barca setup and subsequently demanded an exit from the club. The 33-year-old sent a burofax document to Barcelona, notifying them of his intention to trigger the clause in his contract that allows him to depart on a free transfer. While it remains to be seen if Barca let Messi leave for free or demand a sizeable transfer fee, for Barca fans, unfortunately, Messi's trophy-laden spell with the Catalan side appears pretty much over.

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Fans have honoured the 'Little Magician,' with compilation videos of some his best moments with Barcelona the popular theme on social media. One such fan-made video has gained a lot of traction on social media which shows Messi's first and last goal for the club. Paired with an equally adept background track, Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood, the minute-long clip shows two of the most iconic goals in Barcelona history. 

If Messi does depart during the upcoming transfer window, the 8-2 drubbing against Bayern Munich will be his last match as a Barca player; arguably the worst send-off for the icon. However, Messi failed to score during the UCL semi-final tie, which means his last goal came against Napoli on August 8. It was quite a spectacular goal from the Argentine as he weaved his way through a barrage of Napoli players before beating David Ospina with an almost off-balance shot. Barcelona won the game 3-1.

His first goal came against Albacete on May 1, 2005. The then-17-year-old scored with an exquisite lob after an assist from his mentor, Ronaldinho. Messi finished the season with the solitary goal in nine appearances. The following season he scored eight times in 25 appearances as Barcelona lifted the LaLiga title for the first time in six years, in what marked the start of his legendary spell with Barca. 

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Lionel Messi to Man City rumours intensify

According to reports, Manchester City are the frontrunners for his signature. Earlier this week, Messi and City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly got on a call where they presumably discussed the possibility of the 33-year-old heading to the Etihad. Fresh rumours suggest the Premier League giants are preparing an offer of £89.5 million (€95 million) plus three players - Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Eric Garcia - for the six-time Ballon d'Or winner. With both parties looking to avoid any legal stand-off, a transfer fee might be the best route for Messi to leave the Spanish giants. 

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(Image Credits: FIFA Website)