Lionel Messi: see how much Barcelona will lose this year without him

Lionel Messi was the face of FC Barcelona for about for over a decade and meant everything the club represents in terms of sporting merits and financial gains. His departure is obviously being felt by the Blaugrana, performances on the pitch have dropped drastically as well as sales of tickets and jerseys.

Head coach Ronald Koeman said in his interview after Messi's departure that he was the difference for the club both on and off the pitch and his departure had exposed all the loops in the club and that the club is suffering without him. Such was the importance of the six times Ballon d'Or winner to the Catalan club.

According to a report from the Spanish media by some groups of financial analysts, Messi's last contract at Barcelona made more money for Barcelona than he was paid. Messi was reportedly paid €117m per season according to a contract leak by El Mundo, but the analysis states that the club makes €206m per season by having him as a player.

The club's sponsors always have clauses in the contracts to include with and without Messi and it is believed the fees paid to the club for having Messi is always about 50% of the contracts, without him it means less. The club's first match of the season only sold 50% of the tickets available; 15,820 of 30,000.