Messi is the best player in history by far, and all his achievements are the perfect reflection of that. In an era where most stars are driven by money, the Argentine star did everything possible to stay at the club that gave him everything. Unfortunately, this wasn't possible; Barça went its way without him.
After several bad years, those from the Ciudad Condal have bounced back, and everything points to them closing this year in an unparalleled way. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is going through a rough patch, and Santiago Solari is trying to fix what's broken. To do so, the Merengues have set their sights on an ally of Messi for the Club World Cup.
The situation of Barça and Real Madrid
Barça has spent several years trying to climb out of the hole it found itself in after the poor management of the previous board led by Josep Maria Bartomeu. Luckily for the Culers, Hansi Flick is making the team competitive again and keeps winning matches. All the players are showing their best football, and the fans are very excited.
In fact, a few days ago, Barça defeated Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, which has greatly lifted spirits in the Catalan capital. At the same time, those of Santiago Solari are trying to leave all the bad behind and want to focus on the club's future. Everything points to the first change being Carlo Ancelotti, who will leave after the Club World Cup.
Several sources claim that Santiago Solari is very interested in Messi's compatriot, Franco Mastantuono, the River star. The forward is in great form, and several of Europe's top teams have shown interest in him. Recently, he excelled in the Superclásico against Boca, which has further amplified his profile.
The final choice: Real Madrid or Barça
Mastantuono was asked about Real Madrid and said, "I'm focused here at River. I have many things ahead. I want to keep enjoying here. We'll see later, but today my mind is on River."
Everything points to Santiago Solari being increasingly close to securing Mastantuono's services. Initially, the transfer would cost 45 million euros. It's likely that at some point, we'll see Messi's compatriot wearing white.