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Lionel Messi has decided to stay at Barcelona and explains the reasons for his choice in an exclusive interview with Goal.
Lionel Messi remains at Barcelona. Exclusively at Goal , the Argentine phenomenon explains the reasons for his decision to stay at the Blaugrana, despite the many doubts that have plagued him in recent weeks. The main reason for his choice is emotional, of gratitude: he did not want, in any way, to get to sue the club of his life, Barcelona. But it is also linked to an unfulfilled promise by President Bartomeu.
Why did you wait so long to break the silence?
“First of all because after the defeat in Lisbon it was very difficult. We knew he was a very tough opponent, but not that he could end up in that world, giving that bad image for the club and for Barcelona. I didn’t want anything. I just wanted time to pass and then clear everything up. ”
Why did you tell Barcelona that you could go?
“I told the club, especially the president, that I wanted to leave. I told them all year. I thought it was time to step aside. I thought the club needed younger people, new people,” and I thought that my adventure in Barcelona was going to finish with great regret, because I always said that I would like to finish my career here. It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games, in the dressing room. It had become very difficult for me and there came a time when I thought about going in search of new goals, fresh air, it was not because of the result of the Champions League against Bayern, I had been thinking about it for a long time. I told the president and the president always told me that at the end of the season I could decide if I left or stayed and in the end he did not keep his word ”.
Did you feel lonely?
“No, I didn’t feel alone. I just didn’t. They were the same as always next to me. That is enough for me and strengthens me. But yes, it hurts me to hear things that people say, journalists, people who I doubt about my Barcelonismo saying things that I don’t think I deserve. It also helped me see who is who. The world of football is very difficult and there are a lot of very false people. What happened to me helped me to recognize many false people. Of which I had another consideration. It hurt me when my love for this club was questioned. Whether I leave or stay, my love for Barcelona will never change. ”
We have heard about everything. From the money factor, to Messi’s friends. What hurt you the most after 20 years of career at Barcelona?
“A bit of everything, both from Messi’s friends and from money … So many things they said hurt me. I always put the club before nothing. I’ve had the opportunity to leave Barcelona many times.” Every year I could have gone and gone. earn more money than in Barcelona. I always said that this was my home and that it was what I felt and feel. Better than here is difficult. I felt like I needed to change, new goals, new things. ”
In the end, it is very difficult to give up twenty years, a whole life, the family that I have in Barcelona, the city … And this is what weighs the most when making a decision. Why in the end you stay in Barcelona, right? Continue with Barcelona …
Surely I had a hard time deciding. It has nothing to do with the Bayern result, it depends on many things. I always said that I wanted to stay here. That he wanted a winning project and win titles with the club so that the Barcelona legend continues to grow. at the trophy level. And the truth is that for a long time there has been no project or anything, they juggle and cover the gaps as things go. 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 communicated my will to my wife and children, it was a tragedy. The whole family started crying, my children didn’t want to leave Barcelona, they didn’t want to change schools. I looked further and wanted to compete at the highest level. win titles, compete in the Champions League. You can win or lose, because it is very difficult, but you have to compete. At least compete and not collapse like in Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. And that led me to think about the decision to leave. As I mentioned, 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 whether to stay or not. Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it is clear that on June 10 we raced through the League in the middle of this terrible coronavirus and that this disease has altered the entire season. And that’s why I’ll stay at Barcelona. Now I will stay because the president told me that and the only way to go is to pay the clause of 700 million euros, and that is impossible. There was a high road and that was going to court. But I would never sue Barcelona because it is the club that I love, that has given me everything since I arrived, it is the club of my life, I have spent my life here. Barça has given me everything and I have given everything. I know it never occurred to me to take Barcelona to court. ”
Is this what hurts you the most, that there are people who thought you could hurt Barcelona?
“It hurt so much that they were published against me and above all that so many false things were published. Or that I could sue Barcelona for my interests. I would never have done such a thing, I repeat, I wanted to leave and it was my right, because the contract says that I could free myself. And it wasn’t “I’m just leaving”. I was going to leave and it was going to cost me a lot. I wanted to go because I thought I wanted to live my last years of football happily. Lately I have not found happiness within the club. ”
This is important to be happy. You are a born winner, you will continue to lead the team. But something is going to change in Barcelona, right? Does something have to change at the sports level?
“I will continue in Barcelona and my behavior will not change, no matter how much I wanted to leave. I will give everything. I always want to win, I am competitive and I don’t like to lose. I always want the best for the club, for my teammates and for myself.” I said that there was not the necessary support to win the Champions League. Now I don’t know what will happen. There is a new technician and new ideas. And that’s good, but we have to see how the team is going to respond and if we are going to enter. able to compete at the highest level. What I can say is that I will stay and that I will give everything for Barcelona. ”
What was the first thing you thought when people said they didn’t care about Barcelona?
“It hurt me that my dedication to Barcelona was questioned, I am grateful to this club. I love Barcelona and I will not find a better place than here elsewhere. But I still have the right to decide. I wanted to go in search of new goals and new challenges. And tomorrow I could be back, because I have everything here in Barcelona. ”
“My son, my family grew up here. There was nothing wrong with wanting to leave, I needed it, the club needed it and it was good for everyone.”
Finally, let’s talk about the famous burofax. Why did you decide to send that burofax? What did you want to try?
“The burofax was to make it official in some way. Throughout the year I told the president that I wanted to go, that it was time to go in search of new goals and new experiences in my career. He always told me. : “We will talk about that, not now, etc” … But nothing. The president never gave me the slightest idea what he was saying. Sending the burofax was to formalize that I wanted to leave and that I was free and that I would not use the option for another year. It was not to make a scandal or go against the club, it was to make my decision official. If I did not send the burofax it was as if nothing had happened, I had the option of another. What they said is that I did not communicate it before June 10, but I repeat that we were in the middle of 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 leave”, he never set a date. But it’s not arguing with the club, because I didn’t want to argue with the club. ”
