This era of Barcelona success started by Pep, has to be looked at as the Age of Messi. Emerging as his generation's best all round player and one of the greatest footballers the game has seen, if we view his club career solely. He has been more than integral to Barcelona's dominance of La Liga and their three Champions League wins.
Soon, Barcelona and their fans will have to face up to the possible reality of Messi wanting to spend his final years back in Rosario. When or if that time comes, I wonder, even with Barcelona's amazing academy, how they'd cope and move forward.
By the time Messi is reaching retirement time, Iniesta would have long gone already and that will be another major miss. But let's be real here, Messi's cotributions to Barcelona are insane. You combine his goals, assists, assist of assists; and you have a player who nine times out of ten is involved in all the goals that Barcelona score. That's almost impossible to replace.
The most important thing Barcelona can do now is start planning for life without Messi. They have to keep up the momentum and not allow themselves to fall back to the dark days of Van Gaal's final season. This isn't about stopping everything, and trying to find another Messi. It's about working hard developing the younger players and trying to figure out a winning system that doesn't rely on Argentine Hobbit.
Neymar, I think, is the player of the future but it's not a certainty he will be at Barcelona. I just have this funny feeling that he'll be involved in some controversial move away. Let's say that he does stay, then I do believe Barcelona have to build their team around him. If that means changing their style of play to suit him, then so be it. I've always felt we haven't seen the best of Neymar at Barcelona, purely because he is playing as Messi's right hand man. It's about serving Lionel rather than himself. If Messi leaves, then that has to change and we will see a more involved and better Neymar.
Whatever happens, if Messi leaves, Barcelona will never see this kind of success for maybe another hundred years. Messi is that kind of once in a generation player. Once someone like that leaves your team, you will feel the effect whether you like it or not. All because he isn't there though, doesn't mean Barcelona have to fold and allow Real Madrid to rack up La Liga titles.
Change is good, and sometimes change is needed. HH
