The WhatsApp messages that turned around Barcelona's failing season

Little by little, details are being revealed of how Barcelona reacted in the days after the defeat to Real Sociedad at Anoeta, even though most people at the club insist it should not be given excessive importance. 

Before that game there was the incident between Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi -- friends and family in the stands could not believe what they were seeing. After that, Messi was left on the bench against La Real, as well as other players, including Neymar, Dani Alves and Gerard Pique. Jordi Alba's own goal handed David Moyes' side the three points. 

For Messi, the defeat was especially painful. Firstly because he only played the second 45 minutes; secondly because Barça remained behind Real Madrid, who had lost at Valencia earlier that day; and thirdly because Cristiano Ronaldo was 11 goals ahead of him in the Pichichi. 

Barça were facing the most difficult week of their season. Any wrong step would have been a catastrophe. In fact, Messi caused further uproar when he decided not to present himself at an open training session to celebrate the Three Kings festival at the Mini Estadi. His anger at Luis Enrique was monumental and he was not willing to give his manager an inch. 

Luis Enrique did not react well to the stuation and threatened the Argentine with disciplinary proceedings for serious misconduct. A train wreck seemed inevitable. The club gave Messi some breathing space, saying he had gastroenteritis, a term which often disguises other reasons for absence in Spanish football. 

It was clear that the biggest loser in all of this was going to be FC Barcelona. So the captains, with Xavi as the leader, decided to get on top of the situation. 

Jose Maria Bartomeu also decided action needed to be taken. He dismissed sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and announced elections for the summer. Two decisions that were taken with the objective of calming down the storm gathering around the dressing room. 

But the priority was Messi. Here is where the captains were fundamental in stopping the blood flow becoming a red river. On the Monday afternoon after the defeat in San Sebastian, they got in touch with him via their mobiles. At the beginning through messages, later through a call. The 'crack' understood his posturing had affected the group and he had to make a gesture to ease the storm. 

So he did. On Tuesday, January 6, the squad were given the day off, but Messi went into the training ground to do some training. It was a demonstration that he didn't want the team to suffer because of what was going on. 

That day a pact was also forged. Through WhatsApp, a series of explicitly simple messages were exchanged, with the result resounding. It was clear that the team had to find a reaction to events which had gripped the club. 

The first of the messages in the group chat read: "If we continue like this it is clear that we will not win anything this season." It was a fatal analysis, but at the time it was a very real assessment of the sensations the team were living. The second message was of a similiar tone: "We can't go through another season without winning anything." Here was a clear pattern of speech, seeking the reaction of the group, especially the veterans.

These two messages were the basis of Barça's change in fortunes this season. They couldn't continue like they were if they wanted to win titles. And they had to win titles. The fruits are already being seen: Since then they have won 28 games, drawn one and lost just two, with all three trophies still up for grabs.