Season 2019/20 Review for the G.O.A.T: Lionel Messi
Season 2019/20 was considered a really bad season for him. He lost the LaLiga title, was humiliated in the Champions League, and many more defeats which could have been avoided. But it doesn’t change anything for him. Messi’s haul of 25 goals may be the lowest tally since the 2008/09 season, but it still delivered the Argentine Pichichi Trophy as Spanish football’s leading scorer. He was the one who created the maximum chances for his team this season. No LaLiga player has more key passes per game than Messi(2.7), with an average of 6 through balls per fixture. The 33-year-old showed no signs of slowing down by making a record for the most hat-tricks in the history of LaLiga this season. He is also the player who scored the most direct free-kicks(5) this season and completed the most take-on this season too.
The record-breaker deserves it all. He did everything he could to make things better by taking everything into his own hands. But for how long will this keep happening. He puts in everything for his team and only a few changes will help him achieve everything that he desires before his retirement. But despite this, the master of the game with his consistency and passion managed to surpass the assisting record of his former teammate Xavi Hernández. Alongside having the most assists in a single LaLiga season, the captain of Barcelona sealed the Pichichi trophy for the seventh time, not to forget, during his worst goal-scoring year in a decade.
Think of an equalizer that earns a point, or a goal that puts his team ahead. In that respect, we can somewhat ignore that his figure of seven for 19/20 isn’t higher for this season because it isn’t complete. From this point of view, Messi’s goals still matter. As is his uncanny ability to obtain Man of the Match awards and retain a high average rating. From those metrics, Messi is as good as he has ever been. The way he has led Barça throughout the years is arguably the best any team could get. Nonetheless, the club continued to over-rely on him and teammates didn’t show enough commitment. Naturally, being a human, he was tired of carrying the team alone in every game. This season was an epitome of such behavior, with perhaps the most toothless side of the Catalans.
The defeat against Osasuna in the penultimate LaLiga clash disappointed many. When the rest of the team is crunched and the best of all time is expected to play at multiple positions to score goals, defeats like these are meant to happen. Messi wasn’t to be blamed here, still; the disappointed fans were found scapegoating the legend for losing the title which in reality was a collective failure. Lionel Andrés Messi is a born leader; he didn’t only lead by example but also motivated the experienced players, mentored the new blood and also helped organize the club in every aspect. He was not merely there to become a voice for his colleagues, but also took a stand against the odds. He is consistent, he is calm: He is the brightest star of the sky.
Arguably, Messi doesn’t deserve to be at a place where this season and a joyless team has put him. He doesn’t deserve to be facing this catastrophe because of Barcelona’s economic crisis and managerial downfall. Hence, if his peak years need to be saved, by him leaving the club, then let it be as it may; for all it takes, for as much it hurts: Messi deserves the best.
