A former Bayern Munich CEO and legendary German forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said that Barcelona have no soul without Lionel Messi.

Rummenigge stated this following Bayern’s 3-0 win over the Blaugrana at the Nou Camp in their opening group game of the 2021/22 UEFA Champion League match.

Rummenigge praised the 2019/20 Champions League winners for their performance, but also had a few words to say about a new-look Barca that is now without their talisman of more than two decades.

“They [Bayern] played outstandingly well and deserved to win,” he told German publication Bild.

“It’s too early to talk about favourites. [The competition] only really starts with the knockout phase.

“If you look at the team, the way they [Barca] performed tactically. Without Messi, their souls have been ripped out. They are facing difficult times. 
“It was imperative to sell him. The Spanish league has scored an own goal with him.”

According to Spanish football news channel El Chiringuito TV, there was a “very tense meeting” between Blaugrana president Joan Laporta and manager Ronaldo Koeman after the match on Tuesday night.

It is further suggested that the Catalan giants may already have a possible successor lined up should Koeman be relieved of his duties, with Johan Cruyff’s son Jordi tipped to come in as interim manager.