The petrodollars win, Leo Messi will play in Saudi Arabia

Next week Leo Messi will announce his next club. It's an open secret, he's going to play in Arabia. The petrodollars have won the auction by a landslide. It is a decision he made a month ago when he travelled to those latitudes to fulfil a publicity commitment with the Ministry of Tourism. For the past year, Leo has been an ambassador for Saudi tourism in exchange for a golden contract. Money talks when you are at the end of your sporting career, you think about what you can earn so that you and your family's future is secured forever. 600 million dollars is, quite simply, an offer that cannot be refused. There is no other secret. It is worth sacrificing two years to become the richest footballer in history.

His wish was to finish his career at Barça, but the circumstances did not work out, the financial situation of the club did not make it possible. Barça is still pending the "fair play" approval from La Liga and has not even been able to make him an offer. An impossible wish, just an illusion. Leo was aware of this no matter how many siren songs he heard. Nor did he ever seriously consider the offer from Inter Miami for the simple reason that they offered him 10% of what he will earn in Arabia. In all this time he has been silent, without saying a word. Having won the French league and played his last game for PSG today, he is now in a position to announce his move to Al-Hilal, the club with the most titles in Saudi Arabia.

On 2 April, more than two months ago, we wrote in this column a reflection on Messi's future: "The heart says yes, the head says no". It was a way of expressing the desire of many Culés, to see the Argentinian wearing Blaugrana again, although we all knew that at 36 years of age it was a short term bet. Twenty days ago we announced that he had decided his future, to play in Arabia alongside Busquets and Alba. Many doubted it, driven by nostalgia. It is the end that Leo has chosen after winning all the titles. He prefers an experience without media pressure or sporting demands. He chooses a life away from the hustle and bustle with all the personal services imaginable. Riyadh is not Barcelona or Paris, but he will have all the comforts of the world. He has earned the right to live like a king for a reason.

So ends the Messi soap opera. With Leo on his way to Arabia, and Barça looking for reinforcements that will allow them to compete in the next Champions League. The success of the women's team has to be a stimulus and an incentive. Winning a second Champions League with a spectacular comeback is a reward for a job well done. Barcelona fans have savoured the title as it deserves, with joy and satisfaction.

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It is impressive, the admiration and praise that Alexia Putellas' Barça awakens. It is the team we all identify with, we live their games with passion, we enjoy their successes, we share their ambitions. The victory in Eindhoven had the epic quality of greatness, a sensational comeback based on courage and dedication. Among the great European clubs, Barça is the one that has made the best commitment to women's football.