Lionel Messi has been Barcelona's most valuable asset ever since he rose to stardom many years ago. Not only because he helped the Catalans winning La Liga, Champions League, and many more titles, but also due to the profit his appearances meant for the Blaugrana's finances. Now, it seems like PSG will make the best of it.
Barcelona did have to make a big effort through all these years to keep on having arguably the world's greatest player - and one of the best of all time, but Messi was worth it. No matter how expensive his salary, the Argentine megastar was priceless for Barca.
Messi not only guaranteed results on the pitch but also in the club's accounts. That's why his departure will probably have an impact on their economy, despite the fact they offloaded his big wage. Take a look at how much Barcelona could lose after Messi left.
Barcelona: The financial impact of Messi's departure
Athletes like Messi not only collect prizes and accolades with their success on the pitch, they often make a lot of money on the way. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi himself was a strong source of income for Barcelona, who will miss the profit they made while they had him.
According to Brand Finance, Lionel Messi's exit from Barcelona could decrease the club's brand value by 11%, meaning they'd lose up to €137 million in total ($160 million): €77 m ($90 m) in business revenue, €43 million in jersey and merchandising, and €17 m on matchdays.
Barcelona are still the second most valuable soccer brand in the world behind Real Madrid, but Messi played, without a doubt, a key role in their revenues. Now, they won't be selling his shirts as they did for the past 16 seasons, and fans from all over the world who followed Barca mainly to watch him will no longer do so.
