Looking for smart ways to get more from life? You have to do everything for the team. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. That will stay in the memory.”. Lionel Messi has been reported as ‘sad’ and disappointed by the exit of close friend Luis Suarez from FC Barcelona. Messi has, after all, been at the club for 19 years. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Subscriber His rise, in that time, has mirrored that of his club. Advanced stats site WhoScored.com has a pretty handy tool that details the … The Association Press reported that Barcelona had confirmed that it received documentation from the 33-year-old saying that he intended to leave. Messi then went ahead conducting himself as a free agent in failing to report for coronavirus testing and the senior team’s first training session under Ronald Koeman, before La Liga came out and supported FCB with a statement that confirmed both his contract and mammoth €700mn clause are still intact. Naturally, however, El Pistolero was broached on his relationship with his fellow South American and at one point said, “My family know the suffering I experienced. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are believed to be the frontrunners for Messi's signature. Messi tried to leave the club he has been a part of for 20 years after the debacle against Bayern, but Barcelona replied he must finish the final year of his contract. Barcelona acted promptly to claim Messi’s right to exercise that clause expired June 10, after the scheduled end of the season. The Catalans claimed such a luxury had ceased to exist on June 10, though Messi’s lawyers countered this by highlighting the manner in which the term had been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and insisted this approach was still valid well into August. I'm aware that a chapter is ending,” he added. And in addition to the sly digs Suarez took at the controversial figure, it was simultaneously pointed out that Messi kept as much distance as he could from Bartomeu throughout the afternoon. The Argentine news outlet Diario Ole reported that Koeman told Messi: "Your privileges in the squad are over. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez of Barcelona during the warm-up before the Liga match between Deportivo ... [+] Alaves and FC Barcelona at Estadio de … Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and wonderkid Ansu Fatu have helped show off the club’s new third kit for the 2020-21 season. For over a week, Messi had been cocksure in his stance by first sending a burofax to the Camp Nou stating a desire to end a 20-year relationship with the club. Now based in Barcelona after six years in São Paulo, I have written on these topics at length through previews and analysis while having also covered match reports for. does not see his future at Barcelona clearly, likely to incite a legal battle between Messi's representatives and the club, Lionel Messi and Barcelona are heading for a huge legal battle over a clause in his contract that the Argentine says allows him to leave for free, Photos of Lionel Messi from every year of his historic career show just how long he was with Barcelona, Barcelona fans took to the streets to demand club president Josep Bartomeu resign after superstar Lionel Messi told the team he was ready to leave, $800 million Lionel Messi wants out of FC Barcelona, but only 2 teams on the planet can actually afford to buy him, Lionel Messi finally decided to leave Barcelona after the club's new coach reportedly told him his "privileges in the squad are over. I'm going to be inflexible. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez of Barcelona during the warm-up before the Liga match between Deportivo ... [+] Alaves and FC Barcelona at Estadio de Mendizorroza on July 19, 2020 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. You may opt-out by. Now based in Barcelona after six years in São Paulo, I have written on these topics at length through previews and analysis while having also covered match reports for. Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi reacts during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final ... [+] football match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on August 14, 2020. Barcelona, however, thinks that the clause expired in June, meaning interested parties would be forced to pay closer to his buyout clause of $825 million. Lionel Messi is now unsure of whether or not he can leave FC Barcelona and isn’t ruling anything out, a report claims. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Also in attendance were Jordi Alba and the first team’s four captains - the most senior of which is of course close friend and neighbor Lionel Messi followed by Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto. Like what you see here? Account active Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has taken another swipe at the club’s board when he criticised the way it treated fellow forward Luis Suarez who left … Yet it remains to be seen whether the number 10 will finally walk on a free from his employer of two decades in June considering the mistreatment both he and Suarez have suffered. Barcelona star Lionel Messi has topped Forbes' list of the world's highest paid soccer players once again. (Photo by Manu Fernandez / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANU FERNANDEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images), Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change. Regularly driving to training and matches together from their shared western beach suburb of Castelldefels, Messi and Suarez became inseparable on and off the pitch, though Mundo Deportivo have highlighted that during the latter’s farewell presentation, the club reproduced clips of him embracing each member of the mentioned quintet save for the Ballon d’Or holder. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images). © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Though initially unable to compose himself through tears, the 33-year-old was still classy in saying that he would “always be grateful” to the Catalans. Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get more of it. You have to think about the team.". Despite facing increased calls to resign prematurely, the outgoing president is convinced he can talk Messi and his family round, and get the number 10 to sign for a further two years taking him past his 35th birthday. ", Messi is understood to have told Ronald Koeman in a meeting last week. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images), Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Given an official farewell on Thursday morning. Messi, even at 33, remains the most effective attacking footballer in the world. On Friday, in a … (Photo by Manu Fernandez / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANU FERNANDEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images). Messi has been with the team for 20 years, since he moved there as a 13-year-old from Argentina. Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi could be reunited at Manchester City, but it won't come cheap. Lionel Messi is now unsure of whether or not he can leave FC Barcelona and isn’t ruling anything out, a report claims. Given an official farewell on Thursday morning, the Uruguayan was in a sense humiliated by having to sit on stage with president Josep Bartomeu before viewers worldwide after being forced out of the club. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Messi and Koeman met shortly after the Dutchman's appointment last week amid rumors that Messi wanted to leave the club following its 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He voiced an intention to utilize a clause in his contract that previously allowed him to terminate at the end of each campaign, after Barça finished 2019-2020 trophyless and humiliated by Bayern Munich via a 8-2 quarterfinal drubbing in the Champions League. According to those who were present, this made the Argentine, who looked “sad”, “affected” and “crestfallen”, especially emotional. that he was leaning toward leaving the club. The shocking move is likely to incite a legal battle between Messi's representatives and the club, with Messi's camp thinking that a clause in his contract will allow him to leave the club for free. Between these developments, Messi’s camp had attempted to sit down with Bartomeu and Co to negotiate an “amicable exit” to Manchester City, but were told that Barça were not interested in meeting face-to-face unless it was to discuss a contract extension for their captain. Messi]. Lionel Messi finally decided to leave Barcelona after the club's new coach, Ronald Koeman, reportedly told him his "privileges in the squad are over." Now based in Barcelona after six years in São Paulo, I have written on these topics at length through previews and analysis while having also covered match reports for tournaments such as the Copa America. “Everyone knows the effort I made to fulfill a dream. Messi-7 FEW WORDS ABOUT US We are a team of professionals on a high level tipping experience, a team who guaranteed profit with truly real free football and soccer tips, fixed matches and best predictions on this field, where you can get tips with real score. Prior to holding this press conference, Suarez had been joined on the Camp Nou turf by his family to take photos with the 13 major trophies he won during a highly-successful six-year tenure in Barcelona, which saw him become the Blaugrana’s third all-time top scorer since joining from Liverpool in 2014. Reports have since emerged that the Mancunians cannot afford to sign Messi on anything other than a free, while Inter Milan have also dropped out of the race, yet both parties will be pleased that Jorge and Bartomeu will touch bases and try and work a way out of the dilemma. Preventing Messi’s exit from the club last month, the president’s mandate expires next year and a successor has to be appointed in March elections. I always said this was the best club in the world. since, Lionel Messi finally decided to leave Barcelona after the club's new coach, Ronald Koeman, reportedly told him his "privileges in the squad are over.". You may opt-out by. The exchange is believed to be what convinced Messi that his time at Barcelona is up, with the Argentine notifying the club on Tuesday of his intention to leave. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. As well as writing for Forbes Sports, I edit Yellow & Green Football: a site on Brazilian soccer that is part of the Guardian Sport Network and a partner of O Globo. Messi and Koeman met shortly after the Dutchman's appointment last week amid rumors that Messi wanted to leave the club following its 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League. After a drama-filled summer where he unsuccessfully tried to force his way out of Barcelona, Lionel Messi's patience with the club has certainly run out. Messi reportedly told Koeman that he "does not see his future at Barcelona clearly" and that he was leaning toward leaving. Now based in Barcelona after six years in São Paulo, I have written on these topics at length through previews and analysis while having also covered match reports for tournaments such as the Copa America. But my children got to see me lift trophies, score goals, and they got to see me alongside the best in history [i.e. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. football match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on August 14, 2020. Alaves and FC Barcelona at Estadio de Mendizorroza on July 19, 2020 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. According to SER, this means that a dramatic U-turn could occur in this afternoon’s meeting between the player’s agent and father Jorge, plus the club’s under-fire president Josep Bartomeu. As well as writing for Forbes Sports, I edit Yellow & Green Football: a site on Brazilian soccer that is part of the Guardian Sport Network and a partner of O Globo. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. It's unclear exactly what the privileges Messi received are, though he has had a significant influence on the club.