Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona - before the split?
Photo: ALBERT GEA / REUTERSFootball superstar Lionel Messi wants to leave FC Barcelona after 20 years. The club confirmed this to the AP news agency on Tuesday evening. The Argentine sports channels TyC Sports and Fox Sports Argentina had previously reported that the 33-year-old had told the Spanish top club that he wanted to leave the club. He wanted to draw a clause in his contract through which he could unilaterally terminate at the end of each season, it said. The clause is supposed to have expired on June 10, but may still apply due to the extension of the season as a result of the corona break.
As TyC Sports reports, the six-time world footballer decided to take this decisive step, not just for him, after talking to the new Barça coach Ronald Koeman. Last Thursday, the Catalan private broadcaster RAC1 reported that Messi was thinking about emigration.
After the disastrous 8-2 in the quarter-finals of the Champions League against FC Bayern, Messi has not commented publicly on his future. The contract of the Argentine, who came from Rosario to the Catalan metropolis 20 years ago and among other things became a six-time world footballer at FC Barcelona, is valid until the end of June next year.
Speculation that Messi might leave the club has been around for a long time. With the bankruptcy against Bayern they picked up speed. Koeman, who should lead the club to success again, actually wants to build a team around Messi. Club boss Josep Bartomeu had recently vigorously rejected the rumors of Messi's departure when the 57-year-old ex-Barça professional Koeman was presented.
aha / dpa / sid
