El Clásico is a truly incomparable rivalry - the most iconic in world football. Ordinarily, one would expect each edition of this clash to be a hotly-contested affair. However, the latest El Clásico was not so.
Real Madrid had absolutely no problems in defeating arch-rivals Barcelona, winning 2-0. Vinícius Júnior and Mariano scored the goals for the new La Liga leaders as they gained the advantage in their quest to deny their Catalan adversaries their third consecutive league title.
It's not often that one would say this, but the bulk of the blame for Barça's loss has to fall on the shoulders of none other than Lionel Messi. The Argentine legend had a dismal performance at the Santiago Bernabéu. He had no answer at all for Real's defensive duo of Raphaël Varane and Sergio Ramos who were his direct opponents. Messi even picked up a yellow card for a completely unnecessary hard tackle on Casemiro.
Messi has been nowhere near his usual level of play since the turn of the year. His touch has become less sure, his shooting accuracy has declined, he has become more prone to turning the ball over, and he has generally not been playing with the same fluidity and crispness which we have come to expect from him. Although Messi has scored 19 goals and handed out 12 assists thus far this season, these impressive statistics somewhat mask the drop-off in his overall level of play.
The impact of this drop in form has been severe. Barcelona have surrendered first place in La Liga to Real, been knocked out of the Copa del Rey, and face the prospect of being knocked out in the Champions League's round of 16 after a first-leg 1-1 draw against Napoli. Had Messi been playing up to his usual standards, it is not only possible but highly likely that Barça would not find themselves in their current situation.
Some might assume that this is just a temporary slump and that before long, Messi will bounce back and return to his usual otherworldly self. However, consider the following: Messi is now 32 years old and has over 900 matches' worth of mileage for club and country amassed over his career. As they say, Father Time is undefeated; in this case, it could very well be that Father Time is coming for Messi. This recent slump might be the first sign of a terminal decline.
If one takes a closer look at the vast majority of footballers, both those who are all-time greats and those who are not, the start of their age-related decline usually depends on their position. Goalkeepers and defenders are usually able to keep going for the longest. On the other hand, wingers and centre-forwards often begin their decline in their early 30s - the age group in which Messi is right now. His decline may seem imperceptible at the moment because of the extreme height from which he is falling, but do not be surprised if one or two years from now, many are wondering just what happened to him.
This is no knock on Messi or on his incredible career. I consider him to be the second-greatest player of all time, only behind his compatriot Diego Maradona. The statistics, accolades, and achievements speak for themselves. Apart from winning the World Cup, there is virtually nothing which he hasn't done. However, at some point, age catches up to every player. As has been mentioned, players in more offensive positions age more rapidly than those in more defensive positions. Thus, should we really be all that surprised if we are now seeing the beginning of the end of a legendary career?
At this point, Barça must now start preparing for the future. During the upcoming off-season, they ought to spend what they can to sign younger players who will have the toughest of acts to follow.
It's understandable that many fans would be in denial about this. Nobody, especially fans of the Blaugrana, wants to see one of the five best players who ever lived begin his decline as the years begin to take their toll. However, it has to happen at some point and the signs seem to be pointing towards that point being now.
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