He’s still the best player in the world and has just become only the second player after Thierry Henry to register over 20 goals and assists in a season in a top five league. The question is is he now becoming a negative influence in the team/club? He basically calls the shots there. Who signs, who plays where, and how long the manager stays. If Messi is unhappy with a manager the manager goes. And the players...so many are underperforming there. Griezmann, Coutinho..they could definitely be much better. But is Messi inhibiting them? I never thought Griezmann was a good fit for a Messi side. Dembele (although I’ve never rated him as a top player) could possibly flourish in a side that isn’t geared to Messi, a Messi that is 33 and slightly on the wane.
Overall though I’d keep him. They need to discard the older players who aren’t doing it, Vidal being the first out the door. They are a team that don’t have the legs to keep up with other teams. They need a good coach too, something they haven’t had in a while.