It still feels weird to think that we could be seeing Lionel Messi play for a club that isn’t Barcelona next season, but it would be truly crazy if he left for another La Liga club.
Obviously signing for Real Madrid would be the biggest shock of all time and Barca would never forgive him, but you can’t imagine that moving to Atleti would be well received either.
Real and Barca have regressed this season so Diego Simeone’s men look like the clear favourites for the title, while signing Luis Suarez from Barca has helped to give them a cutting edge up front.
A report from Goal has looked at some comments from their captain Koke ahead of their game this weekend, and it looks like he really thinks the club should be making a push to reunite Suarez and Messi at the club:
“But why not at Atleti? Sometimes talking with friends we laugh a lot and ask ourselves: How would you convince Messi to come to Atletico?
“Economically it is difficult because you cannot pay the salary that he earns in Barcelona. You never know. Players often measure ourselves by the hunger to win things and things that clubs have not been able to win.
“Maybe Suarez can convince him, It’s football, we have a great squad, the players we have are spectacular and hopefully it will be a great year in the Champions League for Atleti.”
Obviously it is totally ridiculous and it’s impossible to see this happening, but there is something in his “why not” question.
Messi and Suarez are great friends on and off the field so they would enjoy playing together, Messi has been incredible in Spain so he wouldn’t have to move far, while it would also give him the ultimate chance to get one over on those who have run Barca into the ground in recent years.
It feels impossible, but it’s another sign that teams feel they have a genuine chance of tempting him away from the Nou Camp.