Will never go to court against Barcelona despite wanting to leave, admits Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the greatest players ever
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Less than nine days after reports first emerged that Lionel Messi was set to leave Barcelona, the Argentine has confirmed that he will not be leaving the Camp Nou despite him wanting too. The 33-year-old was looking to leave on a free-transfer with clubs from England, Italy and France interested.
When reports emerged that Barcelona captain Lionel Messi had submitted a transfer request, it shook the world with many concerned and shell-shocked. However, nine days after the legendary transfer saga started, it has finally come to an end as the Argentine has revealed that he is set to stay at Barcelona this summer. The 33-year-old was reportedly looking to leave on a free transfer via a clause inserted into his contract but Barcelona have vehemently refused that said clause is invalid.
That has seen the two parties fight and reports indicated that things could go as far as a court with even the La Liga confirming that the clause was not applicable. However, Messi’s camp has further disputed the €700m release clause that was supposed to be a part of his contract although both the La Liga and Barcelona have further refuted any claims that it doesn’t exist. But after a transfer saga that lasted a little over a week, the Argentine has confirmed that he isn’t leaving this summer.
“I am going to continue at Barça and my attitude is not going to change no matter how much I have wanted to go. I will do my best. I always want to win, I'm competitive and I don't like to lose anything. I always want the best for the club, for the dressing room and for myself. I said at the time that it was not giving us to win the Champions League. Actually, now I don't know what will happen. There is a new coach and a new idea. That's good, but then we have to see how the team responds and whether or not it will give us to compete. What I can say is that I'm staying and I'm going to give my best," Messi told Goal in an exclusive.
The Argentine has spent the better part of two decades with the La Liga club and led them to a countless number of trophies over the years including three Champions League titles with them only not winning a trophy in the 2019/20 season. Messi further revealed that he had the "possibility of leaving Barcelona many times" over the years but he never did as he thought it was his "home."
“A bit of everything, Messi's friends, money… many things that have been said have hurt. I always put the club before anything else. I had the possibility of leaving Barça many times. The money? Every year I was able to leave and earn more money than at Barcelona. I always said that this was my home and it was what I felt and feel. Better than here it is difficult. I felt that I needed a change and new goals, new things," Messi went on.
"We go back to the beginning ... I thought and we were sure that I was free, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not and now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10 when it turns out that on June 10 June we were competing for the League in the middle of this shitty virus and this disease that altered all the dates. And this is the reason why I am going to continue in the club.
"Now I am going to continue in the club because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the 700 million clause, that this is impossible, and then there was another way it was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barça because it is the club that I love, that gave me everything since I arrived, it is the club of my life, I have made my life here," he added.
