As a
key part of Catalan culture, Barcelona's proud motto is "more than a
club" but it could easily be applied to star player Lionel Messi given
the level of control the Argentina forward exerts.A product of Barca's youth academy, Messi is worshipped by the fans for underpinning the club's most trophy-laden era and decisions made by the board of directors
seem to be made solely with the intention of keeping him happy.
As long as Barca are winning and Messi is enjoying his football, scoring goals and happy with his team mates and the technical staff, the formula works.
However, if the four-times World Player of the Year, a calculating professional who knows his value to the club, feels his position is under threat he loses no time in flexing his muscles, as coach Luis Enrique has discovered.
A former Barca and Spain midfielder, Luis Enrique took over from Messi's compatriot Tata Martino at the end of last season but his attempt to exert his authority over the squad, and in particular over Messi, looks to have spectacularly backfired and his days at the helm may be numbered.
Messi appears unhappy with the coach's no-nonsense management style and tactics and local media reported the pair nearly come to blows during a recent training session.
Messi was also unhappy at being left out of the starting lineup for last weekend's match at Real Sociedad, which Barca lost 1-0, and reports said there was another heated exchange in the dressing room after the match.
"The question you have to ask is whether the top players have carte blanche," former Spain coach Javier Clemente wrote on his Twitter feed on Friday.
"They train when they want, the play when they feel like it, they have longer holidays than the others and they choose the coaches they approve of," he added.
"I have always believed that the group is much more important than individuals."
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