'Bombshell'. 'Drama'. 'They let him escape'.
Those are the front-page headlines from just three of Spain's most popular daily newspapers on Friday morning following the stunning news that Lionel Messi will not sign a new contract with Barcelona.
Despite it appearing almost certain earlier this week that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner would extend his glorious 17-season spell with the Catalan giants, on Thursday evening that all changed when the club announced that, due to La Liga regulations, this would no longer be possible.
It is a story which will no doubt continue to dominate the agenda all around the world for the foreseeable future.
But it was in Spain where the feelings were, understandably, strongest.
The nation's biggest sports publication, MARCA, led with a picture of Messi in a Barca shirt saluting supporters, along with the headline 'Barca let Messi escape: La Liga do not accept the money and lose the best player in their history.'
AS, meanwhile, went for a close-up of Messi's face along with the header: 'He won't continue', and added: 'Barcelona announce that Messi will not renew and blame La Liga.'
Barcelona-based Diario Sport had a black background with a cut-out image of Messi looking despondent along with the splash: 'Drama - Messi leaves! Bombshell notice as Barcelona announce he cannot renew due to 'economic and structural obstacles'.
Finally, fellow Catalonian publication Mundo Deportivo had a somewhat poignant picture of Messi standing over free-kick at an empty Nou Camp with the headline 'Bombshell! Messi leaves'.
Away from the written press, and on popular TV show El Chiringuito emotions were, as ever, running high.
Well-known pundit and former Barca player Lobo Carrasco broke down in tears as he admitted: "I worried that when Messi retired I would suffer... but right now, I want to find the words but I can't. I'm sorry."
While he was at the depression stage, others had moved onto anger - such as his fellow El Chiringuito presenter Cristobal Soria
He went on an extraordinary rant about the situation, addressing Barcelona and shouting: "Please don't wind us up more! And next year, we have to watch Memphis Depay! Depay is the one who we watch next year!
"I'm having the worst afternoon and night of my life. I want to wake up tomorrow and for it all to have been a bad dream and that none of what's happening is true."
As always, though, the last word was left to their notorious host Josep Pedrerol, who concluded: "Today, we have to get to the bottom of the question - who is to blame for Messi's departure?
"Messi could have made a bigger effort. Joan Laporta changed his mind at the last second. He asked for another wage cut, which Messi wouldn't take on. Is Javier Tebas to blame for all this?"
These are questions and debates which will rage on for some time.
For now, though, Spain is still slowly coming to terms with the harsh reality of the one thing we are sure of: the great Messi will not be seen in a Barcelona shirt again.
