"This is a situation where optics matter and from Barca's perspective, they are frankly atrocious. To the world, it looks as if they threw away the chance to make history by agreeing to play a friendly match before the end of the season so that they could rake in some extra millions. But because it's halfway around the globe, they rested a bunch of players to do it, including their star asset. And they paid a heavy price for their money-grubbing greed."
"We may never know who exactly decided what and when, so let's stick to what we do know. Messi was rested and Gerard Pique left on the bench (though he came on after half an hour). Those two factors signal the reality that Ernesto Valverde thought this game, or at least the draw, was going to be close to a gimme."
Barcelona faced a major PR crisis after a dramatic 5-4 defeat away to Levante and the decision to rest Lionel Messi before a friendly in South Africa. The club rested several key players, including Gerard Pique, signaling confidence that the match would be an easy draw. Friendlies often have stipulations about travel and playing time for star players, so appearance agreements could explain player absences. The timing and global nature of the friendly made the decision look like a money-driven choice and led to heavy criticism. One league game remains, at home to Real Sociedad.
Read at barcelona fc blog | a blog about fc barcelona with la liga news, transfers and rumours
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