“No matter who we play against, it is not noticeable” – Lionel Messi makes confident claim about Argentina amid Barcelona comparisons
Lionel Messi was once the beating heart of Barcelona's iconic play-style before he left the Blaugrana for PSG and then Inter Miami. However, he continues to make waves in the colors of his national team, Argentina.
Following their 2-0 win over Peru in World Cup qualifiers, Messi made a confident claim about La Albiceleste, comparing them to Barcelona's greatest team.
Messi's influence at Barcelona during the club's golden years was remarkable. This came especially with the fluid positional changes that saw him and players like Alexis Sanchez, David Villa, Neymar, and Luis Suarez stun opponents with feints and dummies.
Against Peru, Lionel Messi scored a goal reminiscent of those Barca days, finding the net in a move that was ingeniously set up by Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez. The youngster received a cut-back from Enzo Fernandez into the area and he made as though to shoot, keeping the defenders on guard for his effort, but let the ball roll across him at the last moment.
Messi latched onto Alvarez's dummy and his first-time finish found the back of the net. The victory over Peru, in which he scored a brace, opened up a dialogue around the similarities between Argentina's current squad and his former Barcelona team.
Lionel Messi discussed these parallels in a post-match interview, explaining (via AlbicelesteTalk):
"This team is playing better and better. The Barcelona that I had to play was the best team in history, that’s a lot, no? But this one is very close I think for what we have been showing, for having become the champion of Copa America and the World, and that has a lot of merit."
The Argentinian captain continued:
“We have great players. No matter who we play against, it is not noticeable because we have a very marked game that identifies us a lot. We like to do it. We hope to continue down this path.”
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami move highlights Barcelona's financial struggles
Messi opted for a shock move to Inter Miami as a free agent this summer, despite Barcelona being his first-choice destination among various suitors. The Catalan club were hamstrung by their ongoing financial issues.
According to The Athletic, the club couldn't guarantee Messi's registration even if they signed him, which was the situation that led to his exit in 2021. La Liga's salary cap rules determine how much a team can spend on player salaries. Barca exceeded it in 2021 and were unable to register Messi, causing him to move to Paris Saint-Germain.
This wasn't a one-off incident for Barcelona. The club's challenges extended into the 2022 summer transfer window, where they had to activate various "economic levers" to ensure the registration of players they signed. These struggles eventually ruled out the return of their biggest-ever player.