Lionel Messi has announced his decision to remain at Barcelona after several weeks of intense speculation about his future.
The legendary forward confirmed in an exclusive global interview with Goal.com on Friday that he will remain at the Camp Nou for the 2020-21 season.
However, Messi has admitted that he is frustrated and angry with the club, especially with president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
“I would never go to trial against the club of my life, that’s why I’m going to stay at Barcelona,” said Messi, who was wanted by Manchester City. Goal.com, by Soccer Spain.
“I told the club, especially the president, that I wanted to go. I’ve been counting him all year. I thought it was time to step aside. I believed that the club needed more young people, new people and I thought my time in Barcelona was over.
“I always said that I wanted to finish my career here and I always said that I wanted to stay here. In addition, he wanted a winning project and to be able to win titles with the club to continue expanding the legend of Barcelona. The truth is that there has been no project or anything for a long time.
“They (the club) are juggling and plugging holes over time. As I said before, I always thought about the welfare of my family and the club.
“I will continue at Barça and my attitude will not change no matter how much I want to go. I’ll do 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, for the dressing room and for myself.
“I said it at the time that it was not enough for us to win the Champions League. Actually, I don’t know what will happen now. There is a new coach and a new idea. That’s fine, but then we have to see how the team responds and whether or not it will give us competition ”.
Messi, who missed training with new head coach Ronald Koeman this week, will now rejoin his teammates ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
The 33-year-old admits it was a “brutal drama” when he informed his family of his wish to leave.
“When I communicated my wish to go to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama,” he said. objective.
“The whole family began to cry, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools.
“But I looked further and I want to compete at the highest level, win titles, compete in the Champions League. You can win or lose in it, because it is very difficult, but you have to compete.
“At least compete for it and we don’t fall apart in Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. All that led me to think about that decision that I wanted to carry out ”.
Messi, as recent reports have suggested, insists that he felt he was a free agent after the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
“I thought and was sure that I was free to go, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not,” he added.
“Now they hold on to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for La Liga in the midst of this terrible coronavirus and this disease was altered all season.
“And this is the reason why I will continue at the club. Now I am going to continue at the club because the president told me that the only way out was to pay the clause of 700 million euros (624 million pounds / 823 million dollars), and that that is impossible.
“There was another way and it was to go to court. I would never go to the pitch against Barça because it is the club I love, which has given me everything since I arrived.
“It is the club of my life, I have made my life here.
“Barça gave me everything and I gave everything. I know it never crossed my mind to take Barça to court ”.
Messi also revealed that his eldest son, Thiago, took the news of his possible departure particularly badly.
“Mateo is still young and he doesn’t realize what it means to go somewhere else and make your life a few years elsewhere,” he said.
“Thiago, he’s older. He heard something on television, discovered something and asked.
“I didn’t want him to know anything about being forced to leave, having to live in a new school, or making new friends.
“He cried to me and said ‘let’s not go’. I repeat that it was hard, really.
“It was understandable. It happened to me. It is very difficult to make a decision.
“I love Barcelona and I will not find a better place than here. Still, I have the right to decide. I was going to seek new goals and new challenges. And tomorrow I could return, because here in Barcelona I have everything.
“My son, my family, grew up here and are from here. There was nothing wrong with wanting to leave. He needed it, the club needed it and it was good for everyone.
“My wife, with all the pain in her soul, supported and accompanied me.”
News Now – Sports News
.
