After a disappointing and untitled season, which ended with an embarrassing 2-8 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, Messi dropped the bomb that he wanted to leave Barcelona. The Argentine has been with the club all his career.
Transfer Goal.com Messi confirms in an exclusive interview that he will stay in Barcelona this season to avoid a lawsuit against the club in his heart.
– I was sure that I could leave the club for free this summer, because the president has always said that I can do it at the end of the season, Messi says.
However, the clause in his contract states that he must resign by June 10 to go free. Barcelona stands by this even though this year’s season was postponed due to the coronavirus.
– Because of that I will continue in the club. Now I play in the club because the president said that the only way I can leave the club is to pay the 700 million euro buyout clause, and that is impossible, says Messi.
The family burst into tears
He makes it clear that a lawsuit to leave the club was irrelevant
– I would never go to court because Barca is the club I love, which has given me everything I have. It’s the club of my life. I have created a life here, says Messi.
Messi has been in open conflict with the club’s management over the past year. Coach Quique Setién and sports director Eric Abidal have already left their jobs, while President Josep Maria Bartomeu is under heavy pressure.
He tells of an emotional moment when he told the family that he wants to leave Barcelona.
– My whole family broke down in tears, my children do not want to leave Barcelona, and they do not want to change schools. But I have to look further ahead and I want to compete at the top level, win titles and fight for the Champions League, says Messi.
Will win the Champions League
He confirms that it is the Champions League collapses against Roma, Liverpool and Bayern Munich that make him want to leave the club.
– You can win or lose in the Champions League, but you must be in the match. All this made me make a choice to leave, says Messi.
Messi wanted to trigger a clause in the contract that allows him to leave Barcelona for free after each season, but the club claims that that clause expired on June 10.
Clubs such as Manchester City, Inter, Paris-Saint Germain and clubs in smaller but financially attractive leagues have been mentioned as possible stops on the move.
But it will be at least one year until the giant transition can possibly take place.
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