Messi will finish career at Barcelona, says club president
The 33-year-old’s relationship with the club has come under considerable strain this year and his future with the Catalans had been called into question with his contract up next season.
Despite reports that Messi was looking for a potential way out, Bartomeu remains confident his man will stay at Barcelona for many more years to come.
“I’m not going to explain the details because we are focused on the competition and we are negotiating with many players, but Messi has explained to us that he wants to stay and so we’re going to enjoy him for much longer.”
His comments came after Barcelona beat Villarreal 4-1 away on Sunday to keep its faint hopes of a La Liga title alive.
Signs of trouble
The Argentine has looked unsettled at times this season and has spoken out a number of times against the club.
Messi seemed to suggest his teammates did not need to be asked by the club’s hierarchy to take the deduction.
“It never ceases to surprise us that within the club there are people who want to put us in a bad light and try to pressure us to do something which we were always clear that we’d do,” read the statement.
The public feuds were all the more surprising given Messi’s usual reluctance to speak out on his social media platforms.
