The story of Barcelona and Lionel Messi has not been about the extraordinary numbers but something more – the memories
“There have been hard moments, many defeats, but the next day you go to training and then there’s another game, another chance,” Lionel Messi said. “Not this time; this time it’s not coming back.” And that was when reality dropped: this is it, it’s over.
There will be more moments like that in the coming months, little reminders, pangs of loss. That will include on Sunday against Real Sociedad, the first time Barcelona begin a season without him since 2005. They did not even get to say goodbye. His last game, his last goal, number 672, came in front of barely 200 people.
