Barcelona's great fear and president Jordi Bartomeu's possible departure of the best player in the club's history has become tangible • Meanwhile the club's elections will begin in March • Until then the question arises: Will Ronald Koeman, who is expected to replace the sacked Kika Stein, save the empire?

• Messi. Will he try to win the Champions League with Pep?

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  IPI

Five consecutive relegations from the Champions League, historic humiliation against Bayern Munich (8: 2 economic crisis, second replacement of coach within six months and real threat from Leo Messi to leave 20 years after his arrival - this is the complex and depressing picture that led Barcelona president Josep Maria) Bartomeu held an emergency meeting of the group's management yesterday.

Kika Stein's dismissals were expected, easy to carry out, but were accepted by a president who refuses to resign and management without a moral mandate to make fateful decisions, all this with horizons and a new season set to begin in a few days - no time to build an empire project. Either way, the main thing is Messi, or rather his decision whether to continue at the club or not.

Whether the new way will include the best player in the world or not is a critical matter. The reports that Messi is considering leaving are not new. Last year, after the defeat in Liverpool (4: 0 after an advantage of, (3: 0 the Argentine seriously considered leaving because he realized that with the current management it is difficult to build a team to win the Champions League. The Argentine, like other players, really wanted Neymar. In the end came Antoine Griezmann and some) Months later Bayern's eight goals.

Leo Messi vs. Bayern. Will leave at 33? // Photo: AP 

Before the fall in Lisbon, Messi said he was continuing with his dream of ending his career at Barça. There is no shortage of reasons professionally, financially, emotionally and of course family, because he is not a man of adventure, certainly not at the age of 33 with three children. His contract is due to expire at the end of next season, and whoever wants him now, must put a lot of money. Maybe not the € 700 million release clause, but it would still be an insane number. The anger at the president and sporting directors, which doubled eightfold after Friday, made him think it might be worth trying to win the Champions League with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. However, he is still waiting for the news and not just words in the air.

"It is not possible that Messi, who until now was the solution, will become a problem. A player like him does not deserve to leave when his last memory is the humiliation against Bayern," said veteran journalist Miguel Rico, adding: "For many years the club did not make necessary decisions to renew the squad."

Koeman as a shock absorber

Since Xavi said he would rather continue his early career as a coach in Qatar and obviously does not want to touch on Bartomeu's last year's project (and also prefers that as few of his teammates as possible be in the locker room), Barça's next coach will be someone else. Mauricio Pochettino's candidacy was ruled out due to fan opposition, due to his remarks as an Espanyol fan that he could not be Barça's coach.

Coman. The lifeguard on duty? // Photo: AP 

Although some commentators prefer Barça B's coach and esteemed man, Francisco Garcia, the man of choice seems to be Ronald Koeman. The Dutch "Tintin" will come thanks to his extensive experience as a coach, but not only. The fact that he is still revered in Barcelona, ​​who does not forget that his free kick in the 1992 final gave her the first European Cup, and his policy of giving opportunities to youngsters, such as former Barça coach Johan Cruyff, will help him greatly in front of a powerful locker room. His image as a tough person will also help.

It now remains to be seen whether Koeman will coach at the club under Bartomeu, who hopes not to be remembered as president of the humiliation in Lisbon and especially not as the one who let the best player in the club's history leave. In the elections to be held at the club, between March and June, 2021 he will no longer participate.