Just hours after bidding farewell to arguably the greatest player in their club history, Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman, newly designated club captain Sergio Busquets and veteran defender Gerard Pique paid tribute to Lionel Messi before and after their game against Juventus in the Joan Gamper Trophy, a pre-season invitational competition hosted by the Catalan club, on Sunday.

The match, which usually serves as the squad presentation for the upcoming season, had a sense of grief around it as almost 3,000 fans at the Johan Cruyff stadium chanted “Messi, Messi” before the start of the game and at the 10th minute. The game essentially marks the beginning of a new era for Barcelona — a Messi-less era.

ALSO READ | Where does Grealish stand among the world’s costliest football transfers?

Earlier on Sunday, a tearful Messi bid farewell to the only club for which he has played, insisting he had wanted to remain and did everything he could to make that happen.

However, the Catalan club could not complete the 34-year-old’s new contract, with his previous deal having expired last month, due to “financial and structural obstacles.”

In a bid to uplift the spirit, Koeman addressed the crowd, saying, “Despite Leo Messi’s farewell, we are very excited about the new season with the squad that we have and the signings we have made,” according to ESPN inputs. 

“Moreover, the youngsters that are coming up to the first team and that are the future of this great club,” he continued. “We are convinced that we will give you a lot of joy this season. With a lot of help, work, sacrifice, we will achieve the maximum. We know the duty we have to represent this club.”

The coach further said, “We have to turn the page, we cannot change this situation.”

“I have told the players. We have to improve, we are not going going to have the goals from Leo. The midfielders have to score more goals and we must improve as a squad,” he continued. “You always miss someone who is the best in the world. We have to accept it. The players must give a little more.”

Meanwhile, in the match, Barcelona registered a comfortable 3-0 victory over Juventus as new signing Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite and Riqui Puig grabbed the goals. 

Following Barcelona’s victory, Pique said that “the team was affected.”

“Especially those of us who have spent more years sharing a dressing room with [Messi],” Pique continued. “At the level of talent and magic, it is not the same when the best in history goes away. You lose a very important part in attack, someone that gave you a lot of goals and assists.”