Lionel Messi wants to remain competitive and keep winning titles and honors, which he believes is no longer possible with Barcelona. The Argentine, however, is staying another season at Camp Nou as he realized that leaving this summer will only lead to complications.
The Barca captain admitted that his decision to cut ties with his boyhood club did not sit well with his family. When Messi shared his plans with his wife and children, what ensued was "brutal drama." The kids, particularly, were unwilling to embrace the sudden shift. For them, leaving Barcelona was out of the question.
"The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools," the 33-year-old superstar told Goal in an exclusive interview.
Messi admitted that he felt the same way for the city that has been his home in the past 20 years. The star said Barcelona will be hard to replace, which he stressed is true both for the city and the organization.
However, the Barca captain insisted that where he plays next season is his decision alone. The Argentine informed the club board Tuesday last week that he wanted to leave, convinced that his contract has a provision for a free transfer out of the team.
"I thought and was sure that I was free to leave," the football icon allowed.
But Barcelona informed him that the clause for him to walk away free has already expired on June 10. The terms specified that Messi can bolt away from the club at the end of the season provided he sends a notice in advance. There was no advisory from the player because the campaign was still ongoing at that time due to the delays caused by the season suspension.
Regardless of the circumstances, Barcelona stood firm on their decision not to let Messi go that easy. He can leave but his new team will need to pay the price of a transfer deal, set at £630 million. La Liga backed the position taken by Camp Nou, suggesting that it would be a messy affair before Messi can have his way.
Messi said it's impossible for a club to come up with that amount. He could force for his transfer request to be processed but that would entail legal battles, a route that the Barca captain said he is unwilling to take.
That is why Messi is staying another season in La Liga with hopes that at the end of next season, there will be no further hurdles for his free transfer. Reports have surfaced that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is heading to the Premier League to reunite with Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City.
Yet according to football journalist Andy West, the Messi affair is far from over. West said the episode only exposed that Barcelona is an organization in disarray and there will be maneuverings in the coming months that could see Josep Maria Bartomeu ending his term ahead of schedule.
West told BBC that it will be a difficult season for new head coach Ronaldo Koeman, and warned that things will only "get uglier."
The journalist said Messi will press for his release and talks on this will likely start in January.
