Lionel Messi is clearly not enjoying life at Barcelona according to Marca.
The man who’s astounded all around him for years has now been brought back down to earth, an alien become man.
This season, it appears as if the Argentine has become just another footballer after spending so long elevated to another level.
The report posits many theories as to why – the fact that he tried to leave in the summer, that he misses his friend Luis Suarez and that it’s just a matter of the years catching up with him.
Whatever it is, his unhappiness is tangible.
Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat at Cadiz has only underlined this thesis.
Messi tried to lead the Azulgrana attack only to lose 29 balls, the most he’s lost in a game this season.
Another damning statistic is the fact that he’s scored just twice in his last 16 away games.
Seven goals from 13 games is by no means a bad return, but Messi has never been judged by normal standards.
Five of those seven are penalties and the other two were scored when games were already won, against Betis and Osasuna.
Carles Tusquets recent comments that Barcelona should have sold Messi this past summer for reasons of economic sense will only have worsened his mood.
It’s not known what Messi’s future plans are, but something undeniable is he’s not enjoying himself at the moment.
Featured image courtesy of The National.