I'm no expert on all things Barcelona but every game I've watched this year it has been Messi carrying/saving them. Are they really going to waste the few great years Messi has left? I wonder.
My feelings exactly. People is not aware of the impact he has on the game on all levels. That's why I firmly believe now more than ever that he's the best player I've ever seen. He does everything, and has for years since Guardiola left. The midfield has been atrocious for the last 2 years and Neymar is not living up to the hype.
Even though with him we have won 8 league titles and 4 Champions League in a decade, amongst other titles, I think his talent is being wasted in the sense that HE deserved to win everything every year.
That said, last year we won the league and the domestic cup. We only lost on Champions league in a very tight fixtura against Atletico in a bad match. For any other team it would have been a great year. Not for a Messi's team. That's how high people has put the bar for him.
Besides, I laugh at people saying that he did nothing with his national squad. He alone has put Argentina into 3 consecutive finals, all of them lost by sheer bad luck. If Higuain had not wasted clear 1 vs 1 chances, or they had not lost on penalty shooutous twice, by now he could have a world cup and 2 Copa America. Never in history had Argentina reached 3 consecutive finals. He has mediocre players around there. Still there's people saying he achieved nothing...
IMO it would be good for both Barcelona and Messi if he left them...but who could afford him?
No way! Without him, we would be an Europa League team right now, really. Plus, I want to see him live as much time as I can. I won't see anything like it in my entire life.
By the way, the reason behind Barcelona "relative decadence" in the last 2 years is the board and the coach. We have spent millions on mediocre players. If you don't surround Messi with talent, he may help you win some titles, but you can't expect him to win everything by himself.