Liverpool cult hero Luis Garcia has told Chelsea they have no chance of success even with Lionel Messi in their team, if they don’t fix major problem in their policy.
Chelsea are on a four-game losing streak at the moment and the Blues are in serious danger of missing out on Champions League qualification for next season. In the wake of their torrid performances on the pitch, the Blues’ fans and players have voiced their concerns against the club’s owners.
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Enzo Fernandez has continued to fuel rumors about an exit amid links with Real Madrid, while Marc Cucurella recently came out and criticised the Blues for their transfer policy.
The Spaniard expressed his disappointment about the owners focusing on signing too many young players, which according to him, hurt their chances in fighting for major trophies.
Garcia, who infamously scored the ‘ghost goal’ that helped Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-final of the Reds’ run to Champions League glory in 2005, weighed in on the situation at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking on ESPN FC, he stated the problem lies in how Chelsea don’t have a manager with a long-term vision. Garcia believes that even if the Premier League giants signed Lionel Messi, they would never find success with the policy of changing managers every six months.
He stated:
“I understand that when you are not getting closer to winning trophies, you get frustrated. But if you want to build a strong team and you are believing in the youth, it’s not about pointing fingers at the youth.
“It should start from questions like why they don’t have a manager for a long period. It’s about having and understanding what you want, the vision you have for the future. If after six months you change your coach, it doesn’t matter if you bring Lionel Messi, Mbappe or Neymar, the success is not going to be there.”
Chelsea next face Port Vale in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, which is the only piece of silverware they are still in the running for this season.
Lionel Messi nearly joined Chelsea back in 2014
You read it right, Chelsea nearly pulled off the unthinkable when they pursued a deal to sign Lionel Messi. The talks between the two parties unfolded in the wake of the tax evasion probe opened by the Spanish government against the then-Barcelona star.
In his book titled Grand Hotel Calciomercato, football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio revealed the details of what he called ‘the biggest unknown tale in the transfer market’.
According to Di Marzio, the Premier League giants were ready to trigger the €250 million release clause attached to Lionel Messi’s contract back in 2014. Jose Mourinho reportedly convinced the Argentine during talks, with the Blues agreeing to pay £50 million per season as salary.
However, Lionel Messi’s father and agent Jorge stepped in alongside Deco to cancel the deal despite agreement on personal terms. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner eventually left Barcelona for PSG in 2021.
Edited by Nived Zenith
