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Tag: Messi

  • Argentines hoping for Messi-Guardiola reunion at Manchester City

    Argentines hoping for Messi-Guardiola reunion at Manchester City

    The news that Lionel Messi wants to leave FC Barcelona may have shocked the football world but his fellow Argentines back his decision.

    Now they are excited by growing reports of a reunion with coach Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

    One of Argentina’s top newspapers reported that Messi believes his time in Barcelona is over and has decided to move to Manchester.

    La Nacion said Messi was planning to talk with Guardiola to help hasten a move to England.

    However, FC Barcelona looked unwilling to let go of their prize asset for nothing.

    A Spanish sports lawyer has already warned any move could involve considerable legal wrangling over Messi’s contract with the Catalan club.

    However, the growing number of reports linking him with Manchester City sat well with fans in Messi’s homeland.

    “It seems to me this is the moment for him to abandon the comfort zone that he was in,” Gustavo Lopez, a Customs official walking in central Buenos Aires, told Reuters. “This is a challenge for him.

    “For me, he has to go to Manchester City with Kun (Sergio) Aguero and Pep Guardiola.

    “I think he should do it, the time is right to try and see if he can play somewhere else because until now he has always done well where he was. So, let’s now see if he can do it somewhere else.”

    Manchester City are favourites to sign the six-times world player of the year who has won every major title with FC Barcelona.

    Some of his career highlights at Barca came under the guidance of Guardiola, who is now Manchester City manager, and the prospect they might team up again is mouth-watering.

    “There are always cycles (in life) and cycles come to an end and it is good that he goes down another path,” said Facundo Silva, a 45-year old hairdresser.

    “As a Boca Juniors fan I’d like to see him play Boca but that’s impossible. I think that wherever Guardiola is he will do much better than now because FC Barcelona has practically come apart. I hope he does well at another club.”

    Messi has long said he hopes to one day play at his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario but that appears unlikely for now.

    The wise money is on the 33-year-old going to a European club, with Inter Milan and Paris St-Germain (PSG) among those suitors mentioned.

    These are clubs which can compete for the UEFA Champions League, a title Messi last won in 2015.

    “He is at the age at the end of his career and he has to make a decision that is not about money, it’s about looking for something new,” said Horacio Uriarte.

    “And, as he is a winner, he’ll look for a club that can help him win.”

  • [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    The transfer request tabled by Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi has been uncovered.

    TMW has re-published a copy of the fax sent to Barca and president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    Messi, via his lawyers, informed Barca through the fax that he wished to terminate his contract and leave – with immediate effect.

    There are claims Messi could yet break his contract courtesy of an exit clause. Barca have insisted it was only available for July.

    But Messi’s legal team are now arguing the deadline must be extended due to the season also running into August.

    The letter, addressed to Bartomeu and Barca’s board of directors, loosely translates:

    “By means of this letter, I, Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, request that the employment benefit contract that I currently occupy in your distinguished club be terminated, based on clause number 24 that allows me to have this power.

    “I appreciate all the opportunities for personal growth and professional preparation that were offered to me during the time I worked.

    “Learnings that allowed me to consolidate my technical and human profile, but for personal reasons this [blank] difficult decision was made by me, which I hope will be made in the best way by the management of this club. Sincerely”.

  • Messi shuns Barcelona training

    Messi shuns Barcelona training

    Lionel Messi informed Barcelona coaches he was not going to turn up to training on Wednesday, according to Barcelona’s newly-appointed sporting director Ramon Planes.

    Messi asked Barca Tuesday to leave the club he has been with for 20 seasons, since he was 13 years old.

    “Messi informed us that he was not going to show up to training,” Planes said during the official unveiling of Portuguese striker Joao Trincao.

    “But all exchanges will remain between the two parties (the club and the player) and out of respect we will not communicate on what is said because we are putting all our efforts in this dialogue.”

    Planes took over his post from Eric Abidal, who was sacked a day after manager Quique Setien was released following the humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich, which left Barca without a trophy for the first time since 2007.

    Messi, Planes insisted, in the first official club reaction to the Argentinian’s want-away demand, was “important news. But what we think, and we’ve said it many times, is that we see Messi as a Barca player”.

    “Today Trincao arrives and we hope he will triumph alongside Messi.”

    Planes added: “Barca has rebuilt itself several times in its history, and it has always come back more powerful. Our idea is to do it once again, around the best player in the world.

    “You have to have enormous respect for what Messi is and for his history.

    “We’re not thinking about any clause in his contract. Messi’s marriage to Barca has brought a lot to both (the club and the player), a lot of joy to the supporters and, internally, we are working to convince Messi to find the best solution for Barca and for Messi.”

    Planes stressed that there was “not an argument between Messi and Barca — neither deserves it”.

    “We are working to make Barca a winner. There is no division within the club over Leo. Anyone who knows football wants him to stay here to win again. He’s a winner.

  • Barca boils as Messi insists on leaving

    Barca boils as Messi insists on leaving

    Team captain Lionel Messi’s bombshell request to leave Barcelona has deepened the turmoil within the Catalan side, less than two weeks after their humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich.

    The club received a burofax from Messi’s lawyers declaring that the player, who has spent his 19 years at Barca, wished to leave.

    A burofax is a service used in Spain to urgently dispatch a document through a certified email, which issues a digital certificate with legal validity.

    The club subsequently sent Messi a burofax, stating they wanted him to stay and finish his career at Barca, added the source.

    A second source added that the burofax Messi’s lawyers sent referred to a clause in the last contract the 33-year-old Argentine signed with the club in 2017.

    The clause allowed him to leave for free, a clause that expired on June 10 this year.

    Under the terms of the contract which expires in 2021, the only way Messi can leave without the club’s consent is if a rival side pays his release clause of 700 million euros (629.7 million pounds).

    The club considers that the contract is fully binding until 30 June 2021,” added the second source.

    The Argentine’s request to leave Barca comes a day after Spanish media reported that new coach Ronald Koeman had spoken with Messi’s close friend and strike partner, Luis Suarez.

    It was reported that Koeman does not wish the Uruguayan to stay at the club.

    Other reports said Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic and French defender Samuel Umtiti have also been told they are no longer wanted.

    Barca are in the midst of overhauling their squad following the 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals earlier this month.

    It was a defeat which condemned the club to a trophy-less season for the first time in 12 years.

    Messi, who has been named world player of the year a record six times, has grown increasingly unhappy in the last 12 months.

    He was unhappy with how the club is being run under president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    In February, he lashed out at then sporting director Eric Abidal on social media.

    A couple of months later, he turned his anger on the club hierarchy for the way in which players were forced to take a pay cut to cope with the financial hit of the coronanvirus pandemic.

    After Barca surrendered the La Liga title to Real Madrid in July, Messi slammed the team as being “weak” and “vulnerable” during an uncharacteristically fiery post-match interview.

    Former Barca captain Carles Puyol backed Messi’s wish to leave the club by writing on Twitter: “Respect and admiration, Leo. You have all my support, friend.”

    Ex-Barca president Joan Laporta blamed Bartomeu for the stance taken by Messi.

    “Bartomeu and his board should quit immediately. They have undermined Messi to save them from the sporting and financial mess they have created.

    “If they quit, there might be some hope that Messi stays at Barca,” he tweeted.

    Catalonia’s regional leader Quim Torra appeared to accept that Barca’s best ever player, who in 2019 was given the Creu de Sant Jordi award for services to the region, was about to leave.

    He tweeted: “Catalonia will always be your home. Many thanks for all the happy moments and for your extraordinary football.

    “We have been so lucky to share so many years of our lives with the best player in the world and a noble sportsman.”

  • Messi emerges La Liga top goalscorer for 7th time

    Messi emerges La Liga top goalscorer for 7th time

    Lionel Messi finished as top goalscorer in Spanish La Liga for a record seventh time after netting twice as dethroned champions FC Barcelona went on a scoring spree on Sunday.

    They ended their disappointing 2019/2020 campaign on a high with a resounding 5-0 win at Alaves.

    Barca finished the season second in the standings on 82 points, five points behind newly-crowned champions Real Madrid who drew 2-2 at Leganes later on Sunday.

    Alaves came 16th on 39.

    Teenage forward Ansu Fati put Barca in front midway through the first half after the visitors hit the woodwork three times.

    Messi and strike partner Luis Suarez further stretched their side’s lead before half-time.

    Defender Nelson Semedo hit the fourth early in the second half before Messi struck again, to end the campaign on 25 league goals.

    The Argentina captain had four more goals than second top scorer Karim Benzema of Real Madrid.

    Messi, who also finished as top marksman for a fourth consecutive season, eclipsed the benchmark he previously shared with the late Telmo Zarra.

    But he said he would have rather have won the league.

    “Individual prizes and objectives are secondary. It’s an important achievement to win it seven times, but I would have liked it to have been accompanied by the La Liga title,” Messi said.

    Barca’s captain had made headlines on Thursday following his angry post-match interview after the 2-1 loss to Osasuna, blasting the team as weak and inconsistent.

    He also appeared to criticise the running of the club.

    But he was in a happier mood after the dominant performance against Alaves.

    He said the team felt more confident ahead of next month’s UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg game with Napoli, which they host with the score tied at 1-1.

    “Today we saw something else. It was a difficult game due to the situation we were in and the kick-off time and heat.

    “But the team responded with a different attitude and showed great commitment,” Messi added.

    “We took a long hard look at ourselves from the inside, which is what we needed to do. We have not had a good season in terms of performances or results, but today we took a step forward.

    “It’s an important step for what’s coming next.”

  • Griezmann intimidated by Messi – Friend

    Griezmann intimidated by Messi – Friend

    Friends believe Antoine Griezmann’s problems at Barcelona are due to him being intimidated by Lionel Messi.

    Griezmann has battled for consistency in his first season with Barca amid claims he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with his captain.

    However, friends say claims of tension between the pair are wrong and instead it’s more about Greizmann being starstruck.

    One source told France Football: “You put Antoine in front of (David) Beckham, (Cristiano) Ronaldo or Messi, and you have a kid.

    “He has enormous admiration for them. He does not know how to speak with Leo, he is very impressed. It makes him weird. He can laugh with him during a meal and the next day, not know how to talk to him about football on the field.

    “But he is 29 years old, is world champion and must know how to assert himself. He’s working on it.”

  • Transfer: Guardiola responds to City-Messi links

    Transfer: Guardiola responds to City-Messi links

    Pep Guardiola has reiterated his desire to see Lionel Messi remain at Barcelona, with the Manchester City boss refusing to be drawn on speculation suggesting that he could be reunited with the Argentine in England.

    Speculation regarding a move away from Camp Nou for a six-time Ballon d’Or winner has surfaced again over recent weeks.

    It is not the first time that Messi has seen a switch mooted, with an all-time great holding obvious appeal to any team on the planet.

    Reports have, however, suggested that Messi has shelved talks in the present as he waits to discover in which direction a rather rudderless Blaugrana side will head from this point.

    “I’m not going to speak about transfers until the end of the season,” said the former Barca boss.

    “My wish is that Messi is going to stay in Barcelona.”

    Goal

  • Barca can’t rely on Messi magic – Rivaldo

    Barca can’t rely on Messi magic – Rivaldo

    Barcelona cannot afford to “depend on Lionel Messi’s magic all the time”, admits Rivaldo, with it becoming increasingly apparent that Antoine Griezmann has been written off as a “bad signing”.

    Rivaldo is puzzled as to why a proven performer, who is only 29 years of age, is already being phased out, with Griezmann having contributed 14 goals to the collective cause across what has been a testing campaign.

    The Blaugrana legend told Betfair: “Barcelona cannot depend on Lionel Messi’s magic all the time. He reached his 700th goal with Barcelona which is absolutely astonishing and only proves how fantastic he is as a player, always delighting his fans – but he can’t carry the team.

    “Playing behind closed doors harmed Barcelona against Atleti as the visitor didn’t face a hostile environment at Camp Nou, but that’s not an excuse for Barca’s disappointing performances since the return after the lockdown.

    “The lack of creativity and unpredictability in attack also comes from a lack of options on the bench for Quique Setien. I can’t see a player on the Barca bench entering the game and deciding a match like the one against Atleti.

    “Furthermore, if you want to change anything you can’t wait for the end of the game and expect that Antoine Griezmann will solve anything by coming on in the 90th minute.

    BBC

  • Messi claims new La Liga record in Barca win

    Messi claims new La Liga record in Barca win

    Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up two more as Barcelona won 4-0 at Mallorca on Saturday on their return to La Liga action.

    The match came after a three-month interruption to the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Arturo Vidal gave Barcelona a second-minute lead and Martin Braithwaite and Jordi Alba added further goals.

    Then Messi wrapped up the win at the death.

    The scoreline made the league leaders five points clear of title rivals Real Madrid, who play on Sunday.

  • I told Xavi to take Barca job before Messi retires – Eto’o

    I told Xavi to take Barca job before Messi retires – Eto’o

    Former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o admits he’s urged Xavi to return to the Nou Camp before Lionel Messi retires.

    Al Sadd coach Xavi turned down the job at Barca over the New Year ahead of Quique Setien replacing Ernesto Valverde.

    And Eto’o says he’s since spoken to Xavi about returning to the Blaugrana.

    He revealed, “I told Xavi that whatever happens he must return to Barça – and I told him he must do it while the football god is still there.

    “He played with him (Messi), and that will make it easier for him than anyone else.”