Messi ain't done yet.
If you thought that Neymar's departure would have deflated his ambitions and he'd merely turn up to games to earn his wage, then you are all gravely mistaken.
His goals against Juventus proved as much, and Messi will want to replicate what he did last season with a Barcelona team that isn't as great as it once was.
Everyone is on this "Barcelona are finished" state of mind, and pointing to the superior Real Madrid to defend their La Liga title and even....I don't want to go there.
It's true. Madrid's best eleven is better than Barcelona's best eleven. That's just a fact. Most Barcelona fans who don't want to be tribal and rather be objective would agree that their team this season is inferior.
Even Pique came out and said as much.
However, football doesn't work like that. It's never been about how talented your team is on paper. It will always be about what you can do on the pitch, and what kind of performance your players give.
Valverde is building a different kind of Barcelona, one that focuses more on moving the ball quickly and creating more chances rather than the tic-tac-toe philosophy.
It's a tactic that I personally praise.
But he will also be the first Barca manager in a long time who will come into the season as underdogs to Madrid.
Barca, underdogs? Things do change.
But when you have someone like Messi in your team, anything is possible. And what I see of him is his ability to elevate his game when he sees things falter around him.
You saw that last season, where he almost single-handedly pipped Barcelona past Madrid in La Liga, with that standout performance at the Bernabeu where we all thought he'd successfully done so.
Shame he can't do the same for Argentina.
Which is why, I am not so quick to hand this La Liga title to Madrid. They're going to have to earn it because betting against Messi is never wise. He has shown no sign of decline, and is still maintaing his very high level.
How you can still be so deadly and unstoppable for so many years, is an incredible achievement.
If Dembele can fit into the team, Umtiti and Semedo can continue to offer defensive stability and Paulinho really helps out Digestive Busquets and Iniesta in the midfield, then I see this Barcelona team cultivating a run of wins that can lead them to domestic glory.
Don't bet against the Argentine Hobbit. HH
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