Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit, one year later: The impact of superstar's move to PSG on both clubs, and on him

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Messi, 34 at the time, spent 20 years at Barcelona after arriving from Argentina as a teenager

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During that time, he became the club's record appearance holder and top scorer, scoring 672 times in 778 games

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He won four Champions League and 11 LaLiga titles, and was named the best player in the world on six occasions (and for a seventh time since leaving.

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Barca, in €1.35 billion of debt simply could not afford to give Messi a new contract and had to let him go to French side Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

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The impact on Barcelona: "It was a huge blow for everyone," a source on the coaching staff told ESPN of those first few days following Messi's departure. "The first session without him was like a funeral.

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"Things improved as the days passed, and the feeling was that the atmosphere of recent years relaxed a bit,

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The impact on PSG: We know the club has moved to the next level, but we can't really quantify the impact Messi is having on the club. It will be a few more years until we will really understand how massive this is."

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Messi has one year left on his contract in Paris and there is intrigue as to his next move. And, just when they appeared to have moved on, Barcelona have positioned themselves in the queue to sign him, even though he will be 36 when his PSG deal expires.

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