In early 2008, Barca’s board were deeply concerned about the then 20-year-old.
They wanted to shield him from the potentially dangerous influence of Deco and Ronaldinho who were no longer decisive for the Catalan club.
Eventually, both of them were offloaded and the bet on Leo paid off completely.
Tribuna.com look back at one curious extract from Graham Hunter’s book ‘Barca – The Making of the Greatest Team in the World’, quoted by Goal.
Some crucial decisions were made in the Barcelona headquarters in March 2008 when Leo Messi suffered a serious hamstring injury.
First, the club decided to change completely Leo’s daily life – his nutrition, training routine and sleep schedule – to avoid any further injuries.
Secondly, Barca were ready to part ways with Ronaldinho and Deco to save the then 20-year-old from their potentially dangerous influence. They were no longer decisive in the games; moreover, Ronaldinho gained weight and ‘turned flabby’.
Here’s how Hunter explained the board’s decision: “Messi would have to be superhuman not to be led astray by players whom he not only idolised but who had treated him like he was family.
“Messi was a stocky figure by now – but hooked on the Argentine diet of red meat and carbs. If he found a taste for nightlife too, then Barca might lose three great players instead of just two. The Brazilians had to go.”
Marc Ingla, Barca’s vice-president in 2008, added: “Ronaldinho and Deco were completely out of control. They had been our best players for a couple of years and we lost them.
“To unleash all the power and the image of Messi, we had to push out Ronaldinho and Deco.”
The board had their right to worry about the two Brazilian-born stars: they managed just 10 goals combined in the 2007-2008 season, suffering from a series of injuries. Both Ronaldinho and Deco left in summer.
Barca’s decision to bet on Messi paid off completely: the Argentine won the Ballon d’Or the following year and added 5 more by 2020.
Follow our socials Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google News.
