La Liga Will Still Thrive Without Messi, Forlan Insists
Former Uruguay striker Diego Forlan believes La Liga will continue to thrive even without the presence of Barcelona’s talismanic forward Lionel Messi.
Messi, who remains the Spanish top flight’s all-time top scorer, caused a stir this summer when he agitated for a move away from the club.
The six-time Ballon d’or winner was linked with a reunion with his former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City but a move could not materialize after the Blaugrana insisted any club willing to price Messi away would have to pay his mammoth €700m release clause.
With less than a year remaining on his current Barca contract, it remains to be seen whether Messi will remain at the Camp Nou next season.
Forlan however believes La Liga, which lost Cristiano Ronaldo to the Italian Serie A two seasons ago, will not become poorer if Messi decides to move to a different league.
"I wouldn't say it is a gift [Messi finally staying]," former Atletico Madrid forward Forlan, who won the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup during his time in the Spanish capital between 2007 and 2011, told Marca Sport Weekend.
"Obviously, LaLiga has grown up thanks to the great players who played in different club. But LaLiga is LaLiga, and the clubs are very important, and are in the history.
"It is very good he stayed, but they are growing… Leo Messi, Luis [Suarez]… great players, they are changing and LaLiga will be still there… It is more than 90 years history of LaLiga and big stars has been here, and will be also.
"But at the end, what remains in LaLiga, the teams, and that is the important thing."
