Barcelona are obliged to extend Lionel Messi’s deal with the club, claims Josep Maria Bartomeu

32-years-old and yet Lionel Messi shows absolutely no signs of stopping with not even an enforced pandemic capable of stopping the Argentine. He’s created eight goals, scored a further four himself and effectively almost singlehandedly kept Barcelona in the title race. The amount the club depend on him is a serious problem and bodes questions as to how they will cope up without the legendary forward but for now, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Yet with only one year left on his current deal, Barcelona are in trouble as ESPN has reported that Messi is unhappy at his situation within the club. The reports have further indicated that the Argentine hasn’t been happy with Bartomeu and the club about leaks that he (Messi) has too much power which effectively has made him responsible for Ernesto Valverde’s sacking. But, despite all that, Bartomeu admitted that the club are obliged to renew Messi’s contract and that, in his belief the Argentine has many years of football left in him.

"It's true he has a contract until June 2021. We don't like to explain situations usually but it's obvious that we're obliged to renew Messi's deal. He's the best player ever. He's got many years of football left ahead of him. Leo has said many times that he wants to retire at Barcelona -- and I don't have any doubt that he will. And not with me, but with another president," Bartomeu said, reported ESPN.