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(CNN) – Lionel Messi says he had Barcelona’s best interests at heart when he announced that he wanted to leave the club in August.
The Argentine and the Barcelona board, specifically President Josep Bartomeu, were embroiled in a bitter public dispute after Messi sent a letter informing them of his desire to find a new club.
The 33-year-old admitted that he had wanted to leave “all year” and claimed a clause in his contract that meant he could do it for free, but in the end the Argentine was forced to stay because Barcelona did not agree and was unwilling. To do it. reduce its buyout clause to 700 million euros ($ 897 million).
Messi said his love for the club meant that he had no intention of challenging the club’s decision in court and prolonging a legal dispute.
“After so many disagreements, I would like to put an end to everything,” he told the Spanish newspaper Sport. “We all have to be united and assume that the best is yet to come. I take responsibility for my mistakes and if they existed, it was only to make FC Barcelona better and stronger.
Uniting passion with enthusiasm and motivation will be the only way to achieve our goals, always united and rowing in the same direction.
“I wanted to send a message to all the members and fans who follow us. If at any time, any of them were upset by something I said or did, there is no doubt that everything I did was always with the best of the club” . interests in mind. “
Messi was on the scoreboard in his first return game for Barcelona since announcing his wish to leave, converting from the penalty spot in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Villarreal on Sunday.
The game came a few days after Messi publicly criticized the Barcelona hierarchy again, this time for the treatment he gave former striker Luis Suárez when he left the club for Atlético de Madrid.
This story was first published on CNN.com “Lionel Messi says he ‘just wanted to make Barcelona better and stronger’ after a failed attempt to leave the club”
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