The first match of the Messi era at Cornellà took place on Sunday, just three days after Lionel Messi was announced as the new sole owner of the club. Facing FE Grama in a crucial promotion clash for a spot in Segunda RFEF, the atmosphere was electric.
Messi is now the new owner of UE Cornellà, a club that plays in Tercera RFEF, Spain’s fifth tier. The team operates literally in the shadow of the RCDE Stadium, home to Espanyol. Not long ago, when Cornellà was in Primera RFEF and Espanyol in Segunda, the derby was one of the closest in terms of distance. But Cornellà is best known for its training facilities: two artificial turf pitches, a single stand, and balls that sometimes end up on the highway. It’s hardly a glamorous setup. On matchday, there was little effort to prevent fans from sneaking in through the parking lot instead of the main entrance—a trivial note, but the entrance fee was paid.
The Messi era began with a draw against FE Grama from Santa Coloma de Gramanet. Local media flocked to the match, Movistar+ took photos with fans, and the apple-green polo shirts of the football school were in high demand. One father, with a thick English accent, even showed up wearing an Argentina shirt with the captain’s armband, no doubt for the new owner. The club knew what was coming: a plastic table, a fence, and a few hangers were enough to offer the green shirts emblazoned with the Messi logo.
Opinions were divided. Laura Aparicio, a journalist from Mundo Deportivo who has also worked for Barça TV, was enthusiastic: “The operation was carried out discreetly, but it has already had a global impact. Messi is strengthening his ties with Barcelona and Catalonia, aiming to invest in local talent. He always said he saw himself more in an office than on the touchline. This is a first step. Cornellà is a club with strong youth development, founded in 1951 with that tradition. Recently, we’ve seen David Raya, Gerard Martín, Javi Puado, Aitor Ruibal, and Keïta Baldé come through. They do things right, which is why Messi wanted to come. It also shows that former Barça players want to get involved: Gerard Piqué is president of FC Andorra, Jordi Alba (who also played for UE Cornellà) and Thiago Alcántara have bought CE Hospitalet de Llobregat. Messi’s experience in football doesn’t stop here—this is his first venture.”
Not everyone was pleased, however. During halftime, at the bar-restaurant counter, a man with a middle-aged appearance abruptly refused to talk to us: “I don’t speak to the press.” He turned out to be a member of the Cornehools, an antifascist group formed in 2012 with a logo that looks like something from the 90s. His colleague was no more talkative or friendly when approached by a journalist (which is entirely within his rights, so no hard feelings). Under the spring sun, they sang one song after another, including one that started with “Messi, damn it,” leaving little doubt that the Argentine’s purchase had been approved.
While they sang with little interest in the match, on the other side of the pitch, UE Cornellà equalized with a near-post header from a corner kick.
