MADRID (Spain): Barcelona will begin a new era under coach Ronald Koeman when they face Villarreal on Sunday.
Forty-four days will have passed since they were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the match that was followed by their coach being sacked and greatest ever player trying to leave.
Messi was forced to stay and the early indications are he will make good on his promise to give his all this season, as Barcelona look to wrestle back the title lost to Real Madrid in July.
On his first day back, Messi arrived more than an hour early and in his first week, he trained on the team’s days off in what looked like an effort to make up for lost time.
He has played in all three friendlies and scored twice in the second, when a hand clasp with Koeman was poured over by the Spanish press and was generally taken as a positive step.
“He is excited about Koeman’s project,” Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told TV3 last week. “The important thing is he plays for Barca, at his home. We want him to retire at the club.”
But it is hard to imagine Messi’s thinking has dramatically changed since he angrily admitted defeat in his pursuit of a clause in his contract he thought allowed him to depart for free.
He has watched on as Suarez, his best friend, neighbour and third highest goalscorer in the club’s history, found out through the media his time was up, able eventually to join title rivals Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Arturo Vidal, another close friend of Messi’s, has also been let go, sent to Inter Milan for next to nothing.
