Is Rivaldo Right About Lionel Messi?

He was one of Barcelona’s most popular players in his pomp, and Rivaldo has been just as devastating off of the pitch as he was on it.

Never one to mince his words, it’s safe to say that he’s upset his old club on more than one occasion.

After the blow of losing the most recent El Clasico, against “the worst Real Madrid team” that Gerard Pique has apparently ever played against, the Brazilian was scathing about the team in general.

Though he reserved special praise for a strangely out of sorts Lionel Messi.

“Quique Setien’s players knew El Clasico was a big chance for them to run away at the top of LaLiga,” Rivaldo wrote in his weekly column.

“By losing at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, they should feel they wasted an opportunity at an important stage of the season.

“As usual, Messi had little space to play in.

“He is Barcelona’s difference maker and if he is well defended then their chances of being threatening in attack are severely reduced.

“At the moment, he is the only Barcelona player taking responsibility with the ball, shooting from outside the box and trying to unbalance opposing defenders.

“No one else in the team seems capable of helping him in that department.”

Whilst it’s ostensibly true that without Messi in their XI, Barca seem much easier to play against, it’s not an exaggeration to suggest that this is a far from vintage campaign from the No.10.

He was even recently quoted as saying that Barcelona weren’t good enough to win the Champions League, and even though it’s accepted that such a statement is probably true, for your club captain to come out and say it means that many column inches are going to be devoted to it.

It’s clear that something is wrong at the club, which appears to be at a crossroads as far as its management is concerned.

Players have been bought that are not necessary, others that have come at significant cost have been played consistently out of position.

It’s no wonder that Rivaldo believes that Messi appears to be fighting a one-man uphill battle.

What’s worrying of course is that at the end of the current season, Messi can walk away for nothing if he believes that the project has nothing more to offer him.

Given that Barcelona have no money to sign the likes of Neymar or Lautaro Martinez, two world class signings whom they’ve been linked with, it’s hard to see that the team will improve sufficiently enough to bring back their Champions League glory days.

Rivaldo also enjoyed Vinicius’ performance in that El Clasico.

“Vinicius is still very young and has a lot to learn before he becomes a genuine star player,” he said.

“In El Clasico, he ran for the entire game, made Barcelona’s defence work and got his reward when his shot was deflected by Gerard Pique and went past a surprised Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

“If Vinicius keeps working like this, I’m sure he is going to have a bright future ahead.”