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Lionel Messi has launched his latest attack on Barcelona’s hierarchy by criticizing the way the club treated his attacking partner Luis Suárez, who left for Atlético de Madrid this week.
Captain Messi, who threatened to leave Barça last month and recently lashed out at the club’s leadership by President Josep Maria Bartomeu, said the Uruguayan, the club’s third top scorer of all time, was treated harshly by the Barca.
The new coach, Ronald Koeman, called Suárez several days after landing the job to inform the forward, who had a year left on his contract, that he was no longer wanted.
Bartomeu had left Suárez out of a list of players he considered not for sale after the 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League in August.
“You deserved a farewell as you are: one of the most important players in the club’s history, achieving great things for the team and individually,” Messi wrote on his official Instagram account on Friday.
“You didn’t deserve to be fired like they did. But the truth is that nothing surprises me at this point.”
Suarez had paid tribute to Messi at his farewell press conference on Thursday, recalling that everyone had told him that the Argentine was difficult to get along with, but declaring that they had become best friends and prolific attacking partners.
“It will be strange to see you with another shirt and even more strange to face you on the field,” added Messi.
“I had already begun to imagine it but today I walked into the locker room and I really realized it. It will be so difficult not to continue sharing every day with you both on and off the field.”
Previously known for his smooth way off the pitch, Messi has stepped up his criticism of Barcelona in the last year.
In January he lashed out at then-sporting director Eric Abidal, in April he targeted President Bartomeu and the club’s board for their handling of a pay cut, while in July he gave a fiery post-match interview after the loss to Osasuna, fiercely criticizing the team performance in the field.
Barça will begin their La Liga campaign at home against Villarreal on Sunday.
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