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Three weeks. Exactly 21 days after Bayern Munich’s 2: 8 clash in the Champions League quarterfinals, Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has finally spoken for the first time since what happened in Lisbon, the ensuing saga of his desire to leave, the well-known bureaufax to the management of the club, which turned out to be a fundamental pillar and why he changed his mind.
As it is known Earlier today, the six-time Ballon d’Or player announced that he would eventually fulfill his contract and remain for the upcoming 2020/2021 season.
The Argentine gave an exclusive interview to Goal.com, in which he spills his soul and reveals how President Bartomeu lied to him, as well as what his family went through when they found out about his decision to leave the Spanish giants.
“Why did it take you so long to break your silence?”
– First, because after the defeat in Lisbon it was very difficult. We knew they were a very difficult opponent, but we did not suspect that it would end like this, tarnishing the name of the club and Barcelona. We gave a very bad image. It was bad, I didn’t feel anything. I wanted time to pass and then go out and clarify everything.
“Why did you tell Barcelona that you could go?”
– I told the club, especially the president, that I want to go. I repeat it for a whole year. He believed it was time to retire. I thought that the club needed more young people, new faces and I thought that my time in Barcelona was over. I felt it strongly because I always said that I wanted to finish my degree here. It was a very difficult year. I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room. Everything got very difficult for me and there came a time when I was thinking of new goals. It is not because of the result in the Champions League against Bayern. I thought about the decision for a long time. I told the president. He has always said that at the end of the season I can decide if I want to leave or stay. And at the end of this season, he didn’t deliver on his promise.
“Have you ever felt lonely?”
– No. I didn’t feel alone. My relatives have always been with me. That is enough to give me strength. But I was hurt by the things I heard from people, from journalists, from those who questioned the club, saying things that I didn’t think I deserved. This helped me see who is who. This world of soccer is very difficult and there are many false people in it.. What happened helped me to recognize many artificial people whom I saw differently. It hurt me when my love for this club was questioned. Whether I go or stay, my love for Barça will never change.
“Everything was heard.” The money factor, Messi friends. What affected you the most after 20 years, defending the Barça shirt?
“A bit of everything.” Messi’s friends, his money, many things that were said hurt. I always put the club above everything. I had the opportunity to leave Barça many times. The money? Every year I had the opportunity to go out and earn more than in Barcelona. I have always said that this is my home and this is what I felt and feel. It’s hard to be better somewhere than here. I felt like I needed changes and new goals, new things.
– After all, it is very difficult to leave behind 20 years, a life, a family that is in Barcelona, its city and that is what weighs when making a decision. I understand that you will eventually stay in Barcelona, right?
– Of course I had a hard time deciding. It is not because of the result against Bayern, it comes from many things. I’ve always said that I want to end here and that I want to stay. I want a winning project and win trophies with the club to continue the Barcelona legend. The truth is that there is no project or anything in the long term. They fill holes. As I said before, I have always thought about the welfare of my family and the club.
– What happened when you told your family that you could leave Barcelona?
– When I talked about it with my wife and children, it was a barbaric drama. The whole family was crying. The children did not want to leave Barcelona or change schools. He looked forward and wanted to compete at the highest level, win titles, play the Champions League. You can win or lose because it is very difficult, but you have to compete. Let’s not forget Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. Everything he did (br Bartomeu) made me think of a solution. We go back to the beginning. I thought, we were convinced that he was free. The president has always said that at the end of the season I can decide if I want to stay or not and now they trust that I did not say it before June 10, when in fact we were still fighting for the title in the middle of the rotten pandemic. and this disease changed all the dates. That’s why I’ll stay at the club. I’m staying now because the president has told me that the only way to get out is by paying the 700 million euro clause. It is impossible. The other option was to go to court. I will never go to the pitch against Barça because this is a club that I love. That he has given me everything since I arrived. This is the club of my life. Here I made a living, Barça gave me everything and I gave them everything. It never occurred to me to file a lawsuit against Barça.
– Did that affect you more? What are there people who think that Barça can be hurt? You have been defending the club for years and you are the symbol of Barcelona. Did it bother you that they questioned your barcelismo?
– It hurts me a lot that things go against me and above all – this fake news is published. Or that they thought that I could go to the field against Barça for my own benefit. I would never do such a thing. I repeat, I wanted to leave and that was all my right, because the contract said that they could release me. It cost me a lot. I wanted to go because I wanted my last football years to be happy.
– It is important. To be happy. You are a born winner. You are in a team that is fighting for trophies, and in recent years Barça has not triumphed in Europe. You will continue to lead the team. But something must change, right? At the sports level.
– I will continue at Barça and my attitude will not change, no matter how much I wanted to leave. I’ll give my best. I always want to win. I am competitive and I don’t like to lose anything, I always want the best for the club, the dressing room and myself. I do not know what will happen. He has a new coach and new ideas. That’s fine, but you have to see how the team will respond and if they can fight. What I can say is that I will stay and do my best.
“What was the first thing you thought of when there were people?” who thought you didn’t care Barcelona? What was the first thing that went through your head? Anger?
– I felt a lot of pain that they questioned my Barcelonism because of how grateful I am to the club. I love him and I won’t be better than here. However, I have the right to decide. I would seek new goals and challenges. And I could come back tomorrow, because I have everything here in Barcelona. My son, my family. They grew up here and are from here. There was nothing wrong with leaving right now. He needed it, the club needed it and it would be good for everyone.
– Family is very important to your life. His father had difficulties, also his wife, the children. What did they ask? What did they tell you? Do they watch television, ask something?
– All this time it was difficult for everyone. He was clear about what he wanted, he guessed it and shared it. My wife, with all her pain in her soul, supported me …
– But the most important of the family is Mateo …
– Yes, Mateo is still small and he doesn’t realize what it means to go somewhere else and create a new life in a new place. Tiago, yes, he is bigger. He heard something on television, found something and asked. I didn’t want him to know that I had a chance to leave, go to a new school, or make new friends. He cried and said, “Let’s not go.” It really was tough. It was understandable. It happened to me. It is very difficult to make a decision.
– And for all. Of course, it is 20 years, a lifetime. You came to Barcelona at the age of your children. This complicates the situation. There are two fundamental things that people want to know. Are you staying at Barça, will you lead the team? And an optimistic message for fans about the future?
– As usual. I will do my best, we will do everything possible to fight for our goals and I hope I can dedicate myself to the people who had bad times. I had a hard time this year, but it would be hypocritical to compare it to people who were really horrified by the virus, people who lost family members, and people who broke up with a lot of things. May I give my best and dedicate the victories to all who look down on us and to their families. To be able to give my best to those people who are going through difficult times and who will overcome this virus once and for all to return to normality.
– The well-known burofax. There were many rumors that Messi was wrong to report that he wanted to go through with him. Why did you decide to send the office fax? What did you want to demonstrate? What was your position?
– The burofax had to make it official in some way. During the year I told the president that I wanted to leave, that the time had come to seek new directions in my career. She kept saying, “No, we’ll talk, this and that,” but nothing. Let me put it this way: the president didn’t give me the “ball” as promised. By sending the office, I wanted to officially show that I wanted to leave and that I was free. It was not to make a mess or go against the club, but to do it in the official way, because the decision was made …
“If you hadn’t sent the office, maybe everything would have been forgotten and no one would have listened to you.”
“Of course. If I hadn’t sent the office, it was as if nothing had happened.” They claim that I did not inform them before June 10, but I repeat, we were in the middle of all the competitions and it was not the time. But apart from that, the president always told me: “When the season ends, you decide if you stay or go.” He never set a date. It was just to inform the club officially, not to argue because I didn’t want to.
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