Lionel Messi's exit will hurt Barcelona's restructuring project

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi's surprise decision to leave Barcelona has dealt a blow to the club's restructuring plans even before it began. Shortly after the 2-8 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Barcelona said it wanted to make "profound changes to the first team."

Unfavourable changes

Barcelona was basing its revamp on Messi, hoping he would help the team rebuild with new players and a new coach. But the type of changes the team began implementing may have actually turned him away. Messi hasn't been happy with club directors all season, and he apparently also didn't like when incoming coach Ronald Koeman began telling some key players they were not in his plans.

What might have upset him the most was the decision to get rid of Luis Suarez, Messi's longtime teammate and friend. With its aging team, Barcelona endured one of its toughest seasons, the first without a title since 2007-08.

After the loss to Bayern, the club also announced a "wide-ranging" restructuring of the club. Koeman was immediately brought in to replace coach Quique Setién, and new presidential elections were called for next March.

Assumed Leo would be in

The squad changes quickly began, but the decisions apparently were being made with the understanding that Messi would still be on the team. With the new season a few weeks away, little is still known about what Barcelona will look like.

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