Barcelona: The path forward to a return to greatness

Lionel Messi does not have the best interest of Barcelona in mind.

Messi’s fingerprints are all over the transfer policies, fiscal decisions, manager appointments, and tactics of the club.

When Pep Guardiola was the manager of Barcelona, the Argentine great adapted to the system that was adopted. He chose the value of winning as a team over his accolades.

More from FC Barcelona

• Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
• Barcelona put five past Real Betis
• Xavi backs struggling Robert Lewandowski
• Gavi youngest Barcelona player to reach 100 games
• Barcelona struggle but pull out win against Osasuna

As a result, both club and player exceeded their wildest dreams.

Now, everything on and off the pitch revolves around him. This is an insult to rational decision-making.

If a club president or manager abdicates their authority and decision making to one player on the team, then it always ends in disaster because the player does not always have the long term best interest of the club in mind. Ever.

Messi’s refusal to adapt to a system that works for Barcelona on the field by a competent manager has led to the team’s slow and disjointed play on the field.

As a result, two things must happen.

First, the 33-year-old needs to give the captaincy to someone willing to abide by the new system set up by the next manager.

Secondly, Lionel needs to be given the option to change his role or move on to another club.

There are more reasonable decisions that Barça needs to make on the path to a return to greatness (the sorting out of seven starting players who are all over 30, for example).

However, with me as Barcelona club president, your president, I will bring a business model based on reason and long-term viability, which will allow the team to invest in young players from the academy and elsewhere.

These young players with the right manager, maybe you Mauricio Ponchettino, will be part of a revolution in tactics and style of play that will make Barcelona the best in the world again.

What can go wrong?