Messi says Barca 'my life' but stays tight-lipped on future

Talking to Spanish TV channel La Sexta, Messi insisted that he was “excited” to play beneath coach Ronald Koeman this season regardless of attempting to go away the membership the place he has performed his total senior profession final summer time.

He mentioned that on the time he felt like he “wanted a change”, however his tried exit was blocked amid a spat with former Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Messi’s contract expires on the finish of the season and from subsequent month he can be free to barter a transfer away from Catalonia.

“Barca is my life, I am in love with the membership. And the town, my kids have been born right here,” Messi mentioned in an interview performed earlier this month.

“It is true I had a nasty time in the summertime. It got here from all the things that occurred earlier than the summer time, how the season ended, the burofax (how Messi communicated his need to go away), all of that.

“I carried that into the beginning of the season slightly bit.”

Bartomeu stepped down in October and a brand new Barcelona president can be elected on January 24, after which 33-year-old Messi is predicted to start talks over whether or not to increase his career-long keep.

“I really feel good proper now, able to struggle for all the things. I really feel excited,” he mentioned.

Barca state of affairs ‘actually unhealthy’

Messi mentioned he’s beneath no illusions over the place Barca discover themselves in, with the monetary issues exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic prone to hamper participant recruitment.

“I do know the membership goes by a troublesome interval and that makes all the things surrounding Barcelona troublesome, however I’m motivated,” he mentioned.

He described Barca’s state of affairs as “actually unhealthy” and poured scorn on the concept Neymar may make a shock return to Catalonia.

“To try this you want cash, and there’s no cash. Neymar would price rather a lot,” Messi mentioned.

A lot of the discuss surrounding Messi’s departure centred across the chance he would possibly reunite with Pep Guardiola at Manchester Metropolis, though there are additionally experiences of him doubtlessly lining up alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi gained three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in his 4 seasons beneath Guardiola, and was stuffed with reward for his former boss.

“Pep has one thing particular. He makes you see issues in a technique: how he prepares for matches, defensively, the right way to assault,” he mentioned.

“He informed you precisely how the match was going to be, the way you needed to assault to win.”

bur/td/pb