FC Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed on Friday that the Catalan club has contacted Lionel Messi to explore a potential return of the Argentina star to Camp Nou in the summer. This comes after much media speculation over Messi’s future and whether or not he would depart PSG at the end of his current contract.

After famously leaving Barcelona in an emotional farewell ceremony to the club in 2021, Messi signed with reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain as a free agent. While his PSG contract includes an option to extend for another season, Messi has so far not chosen to activate this option.

“Leo [Messi] and his family know the affection I have for them,” Yuste said during a press conference on Friday for the Barca Academy World Cup. “I participated in the negotiations that unfortunately did not lead to a successful conclusion. Of course, I would love for him to come back, for what it could represent at a sporting, social, and economic level. We are in contact with them, yes.”

The post FC Barcelona Confirms Club’s Interest In Signing Messi appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona manager Xavi expressed his openness to allowing Lionel Messi to return to Camp Nou after rumors reemerged regarding a potential transfer back to Barcelona in the summer transfer window.

“This is his home and the door is always open,” Xavi stated during a news conference leading up to Barcelona’s Europa League playoff clash with Manchester United. Having drawn 2-2 with the Red Devils in the first game, Barca will have to win this match in order to progress.

“[Messi] is a friend and we are in permanent contact. It depends on what he wants for his future and how the club see it. He is the best player in the world and the best ever. He would always fit [the team],” Xavi continued.

Messi’s current contract with Paris Saint-Germain is set to expire at the end of the season. While PSG is eager to secure a new deal to keep Messi at the club, rumors emerged of Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, meeting with Barcelona President Joan Laporta.

In addition to the possibility of a Barcelona return, several other clubs have expressed their interest in signing Messi, including new additions to the MLS Inter Miami CF and several clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

The post Xavi Expresses Willingness to Bring Messi Back to Barcelona appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reiterated his desire for Lionel Messi to return to the Catalan club in an interview with ESPN. Although Barca manager Xavi has labeled this transfer as being “impossible” at present, there is the potential of a return to the club next summer when his contract with PSG is set to expire.

“I was co-responsible for an ending that I consider provisional. Messi’s story at Barca did not end as we all wanted, it ended conditioned by financial reasons and we have a moral debt to him,” Laporta admitted during the interview.

Messi’s departure from his lifelong club came as a result of Barcelona’s financial woes and consequential inability to renew Messi’s contract with the club. Currently, Barcelona is facing a gross debt of over €1 billion, however, the €600 million sale of 25% of the club’s domestic television rights for the next 25 years has enabled the team to invest in an array of new signings, including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde.

The post Barcelona President Seeks Messi Return Despite Club’s Financial Woes appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Lionel Messi, considered one of the best soccer players in history, is ending his stint with his boyhood club Barcelona. Messi is moving on after more than 20 years and is expected to sign with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.

According to multiple reports, Messi and PSG already have a deal in place and are expected to finalize the details at some point this week. The 34-year-old Argentinian will reportedly ink a two-year deal with the French club while also holding an option to extend it for one more year.

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A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

In a shocking statement, Barcelona confirmed last week that Messi, who saw his contract expire in June, won’t return to the club. Despite the two sides having a new deal in place and Messi accepting a significant pay cut, the agreement couldn’t be finalized due to the Catalan club’s financial problems and La Liga’s salary cap constraints.

Messi also confirmed the news during an emotional press conference over the weekend in which he admitted that he doesn’t want to leave the club.

“I am really sad because I didn’t want to leave because this is the club I love,” said Messi. “I didn’t expect this. I have never lied; I have always been honest and upfront. Last year I wanted to leave; this year I didn’t. That’s why I am so sad.”

During his time with Barcelona, Leo Messi scored 672 goals in 778 games. He also helped the club win 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues.

The post Lionel Messi Set to Join PSG after Barca Exit appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona’s woeful 2-1 loss to Cadiz on Saturday was yet another chink in their long chain of disappointments this season.

Notably absent from the score sheet in the loss was star forward Lionel Messi, whose open war with the club came to a head this summer as he publicly requested a transfer away from the only club he has ever known.

Despite Messi’s request, the legendary player was unable to secure a move away from FC Barcelona, after former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to let him leave.

However, this has kept Messi disgruntled and unhappy, making Barcelona’s supposed “rebuilding” stage without much clear direction. In order to keep the peace and maintain a positive atmosphere, the front office has some serious questions to consider.

Should they try and convince him to stay longer at Barça, or should they look to move on and find other options?

If the club is serious about being financially healthy and not overdependent on one player going forward, it may be good to move on from Messi next summer as his contract expires.

Financially, it would probably have made even more sense to let Messi go last summer while the club still could have made money on a transfer fee. But that ship has sailed.

Things haven’t been working with Messi, from Champions League humiliation to bad transfer deals. FC Barcelona has been reduced to a shell of its former self, and therefore it may be time to think of other options.

Instead of continuing to try to tailor the squad to fit Messi’s needs, the club would be better served to let the 33-year-old legend walk. This will enable them to keep an eye on the future, instead of continuing to cater to the aging star.

It’s a hard reality for the club and its fans to accept, but when a marriage isn’t happy and the club isn’t succeeding, there is no point in trying to force a fit.

Next summer would be the perfect time for FC Barcelona to push the reset button and begin its post-Messi era.

The post FC Barcelona’s Best Option Next Summer? Letting Messi Go appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After weeks of transfer drama which ended with Leo Messi announcing on Friday that he would stay with FC Barcelona after previously asking for a move, the Argentinian superstar showed up at practice with the Catalan club on Monday as if nothing had happened.

Messi’s request to leave was denied by club president Josep Bartomeu after he said that a club would need to pay the 700 million euro release clause to acquire him, an impossible task for any team.

The 33-year-old forward revealed in an interview with Goal that was released on Friday that he had no choice but to accept Barcelona’s decision and that he would play for the club in the 2020-21 season.

Messi’s discontent was largely related to his team’s lack of direction and performance in recent seasons. As the superstar comes up on the twilight of his playing days, he would have liked to be with a club in a stronger position to win trophies.

Barcelona failed to win a trophy in the 2019-20 season for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.

Nonetheless, Messi has no choice but to put his head down and continue to work towards winning again in 2020-21, something he will do with the club that he has starred for for the better part of the past two decades.

The post Messi Returns to Barça Training After Transfer Drama appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has reportedly stated that he is willing to resign from his position at the top of the club if star player Leo Messi commits to staying at Barça.

Messi announced earlier in the week in a fax to the club that his intention was to search for a new club after a season full of turmoil in Barcelona.

The Argentinian star is reportedly frustrated with the team’s board after yet another season full of disappointment. Barcelona failed to win a single title this season and ended their year in humiliating fashion, bowing out to Bayern Munich 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi had a public falling-out with former sporting director Eric Abidal earlier this season, a Bartomeu ally. He has reportedly made the decision to leave Barcelona not only based on problems on the field, but also due to a wide range of disagreements with Bartomeu and the current board.

While elections are currently due to take place next March for the club’s board, Bartomeu would be willing to leave office even sooner if doing so would allow Messi to stay at the club.

No immediate comment has been made by Messi’s camp, but this news adds yet another twist in the ongoing saga of Messi’s potential Barcelona exit.

The post Barcelona President Says He’s Willing to Step Down to Keep Messi appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The biggest star in world soccer, FC Barcelona forward Leo Messi, has told his club that he plans to leave this summer, according to multiple media sources.

Messi reportedly informed the team of his decision via burofax from his native Argentina on Tuesday afternoon. The Argentinian superstar is reportedly unhappy with the team’s lack of success in recent seasons and its turmoil in the boardroom.

The 33-year-old scorer appeared to be visibly upset at various points during Barcelona’s 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Despite Messi’s 31 goals and 26 assists across 44 matches in all competitions this season, Barcelona came home empty-handed at the end of the season after not winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League.

Messi has spent the entirety of his professional career with the Catalan giants after debuting in October 2004. If he does indeed leave the club, it will be with an unmatched set of accomplishments. Messi has scored a total of 634 first-team goals for the club and has helped them win 4 Champions Leagues, 6 Copa del Reys, and 10 La Liga titles.

The club and the player will now look to come to an agreement on the terms of his release clause which enables him to abandon his current contract.

The post Leo Messi Informs FC Barcelona That He Wants to Leave the Club appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leo Messi might be under contract with FC Barcelona until the summer of 2021, but the global superstar made it clear in an interview with Barcelona newspaper SPORT that he would not be opposed to a new challenge in the future given the right circumstances.

Messi told SPORT in an exclusive interview published on Thursday that he has no immediate desire to leave the Catalan club, the two-time reigning champions of La Liga. With that being said, it certainly seems that Messi isn’t tied down to staying at Barcelona forever.

The Argentinian superstar’s words are probably the result of frustration that he has experienced after Barcelona’s Champions League disappointments in recent years. Despite domestic success, Barcelona has been unable to win the UEFA Champions League since 2015.

Last season’s shock exit at the hands of eventual champions Liverpool after losing a 3-0 lead in the first leg of the semi-finals caused rampant frustration after yet another opportunity was squandered by Barcelona for a possible continental triumph.

Recently, it has been reported that Messi has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave Barcelona at the end of this season if he wants to.

While one of the world’s all-time greats doesn’t look set to leave his club in the near future, this situation bears keeping an eye on.

The post Messi: “Barcelona is My Home, But I Want to Win” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed on Friday that the Catalan club has contacted Lionel Messi to explore a potential return of the Argentina star to Camp Nou in the summer. This comes after much media speculation over Messi’s future and whether or not he would depart PSG at the end of his current contract.

After famously leaving Barcelona in an emotional farewell ceremony to the club in 2021, Messi signed with reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain as a free agent. While his PSG contract includes an option to extend for another season, Messi has so far not chosen to activate this option.

“Leo [Messi] and his family know the affection I have for them,” Yuste said during a press conference on Friday for the Barca Academy World Cup. “I participated in the negotiations that unfortunately did not lead to a successful conclusion. Of course, I would love for him to come back, for what it could represent at a sporting, social, and economic level. We are in contact with them, yes.”

The post FC Barcelona Confirms Club’s Interest In Signing Messi appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona manager Xavi expressed his openness to allowing Lionel Messi to return to Camp Nou after rumors reemerged regarding a potential transfer back to Barcelona in the summer transfer window.

“This is his home and the door is always open,” Xavi stated during a news conference leading up to Barcelona’s Europa League playoff clash with Manchester United. Having drawn 2-2 with the Red Devils in the first game, Barca will have to win this match in order to progress.

“[Messi] is a friend and we are in permanent contact. It depends on what he wants for his future and how the club see it. He is the best player in the world and the best ever. He would always fit [the team],” Xavi continued.

Messi’s current contract with Paris Saint-Germain is set to expire at the end of the season. While PSG is eager to secure a new deal to keep Messi at the club, rumors emerged of Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, meeting with Barcelona President Joan Laporta.

In addition to the possibility of a Barcelona return, several other clubs have expressed their interest in signing Messi, including new additions to the MLS Inter Miami CF and several clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

The post Xavi Expresses Willingness to Bring Messi Back to Barcelona appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reiterated his desire for Lionel Messi to return to the Catalan club in an interview with ESPN. Although Barca manager Xavi has labeled this transfer as being “impossible” at present, there is the potential of a return to the club next summer when his contract with PSG is set to expire.

“I was co-responsible for an ending that I consider provisional. Messi’s story at Barca did not end as we all wanted, it ended conditioned by financial reasons and we have a moral debt to him,” Laporta admitted during the interview.

Messi’s departure from his lifelong club came as a result of Barcelona’s financial woes and consequential inability to renew Messi’s contract with the club. Currently, Barcelona is facing a gross debt of over €1 billion, however, the €600 million sale of 25% of the club’s domestic television rights for the next 25 years has enabled the team to invest in an array of new signings, including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde.

The post Barcelona President Seeks Messi Return Despite Club’s Financial Woes appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Lionel Messi, considered one of the best soccer players in history, is ending his stint with his boyhood club Barcelona. Messi is moving on after more than 20 years and is expected to sign with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.

According to multiple reports, Messi and PSG already have a deal in place and are expected to finalize the details at some point this week. The 34-year-old Argentinian will reportedly ink a two-year deal with the French club while also holding an option to extend it for one more year.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

In a shocking statement, Barcelona confirmed last week that Messi, who saw his contract expire in June, won’t return to the club. Despite the two sides having a new deal in place and Messi accepting a significant pay cut, the agreement couldn’t be finalized due to the Catalan club’s financial problems and La Liga’s salary cap constraints.

Messi also confirmed the news during an emotional press conference over the weekend in which he admitted that he doesn’t want to leave the club.

“I am really sad because I didn’t want to leave because this is the club I love,” said Messi. “I didn’t expect this. I have never lied; I have always been honest and upfront. Last year I wanted to leave; this year I didn’t. That’s why I am so sad.”

During his time with Barcelona, Leo Messi scored 672 goals in 778 games. He also helped the club win 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues.

The post Lionel Messi Set to Join PSG after Barca Exit appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona’s woeful 2-1 loss to Cadiz on Saturday was yet another chink in their long chain of disappointments this season.

Notably absent from the score sheet in the loss was star forward Lionel Messi, whose open war with the club came to a head this summer as he publicly requested a transfer away from the only club he has ever known.

Despite Messi’s request, the legendary player was unable to secure a move away from FC Barcelona, after former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to let him leave.

However, this has kept Messi disgruntled and unhappy, making Barcelona’s supposed “rebuilding” stage without much clear direction. In order to keep the peace and maintain a positive atmosphere, the front office has some serious questions to consider.

Should they try and convince him to stay longer at Barça, or should they look to move on and find other options?

If the club is serious about being financially healthy and not overdependent on one player going forward, it may be good to move on from Messi next summer as his contract expires.

Financially, it would probably have made even more sense to let Messi go last summer while the club still could have made money on a transfer fee. But that ship has sailed.

Things haven’t been working with Messi, from Champions League humiliation to bad transfer deals. FC Barcelona has been reduced to a shell of its former self, and therefore it may be time to think of other options.

Instead of continuing to try to tailor the squad to fit Messi’s needs, the club would be better served to let the 33-year-old legend walk. This will enable them to keep an eye on the future, instead of continuing to cater to the aging star.

It’s a hard reality for the club and its fans to accept, but when a marriage isn’t happy and the club isn’t succeeding, there is no point in trying to force a fit.

Next summer would be the perfect time for FC Barcelona to push the reset button and begin its post-Messi era.

The post FC Barcelona’s Best Option Next Summer? Letting Messi Go appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After weeks of transfer drama which ended with Leo Messi announcing on Friday that he would stay with FC Barcelona after previously asking for a move, the Argentinian superstar showed up at practice with the Catalan club on Monday as if nothing had happened.

Messi’s request to leave was denied by club president Josep Bartomeu after he said that a club would need to pay the 700 million euro release clause to acquire him, an impossible task for any team.

The 33-year-old forward revealed in an interview with Goal that was released on Friday that he had no choice but to accept Barcelona’s decision and that he would play for the club in the 2020-21 season.

Messi’s discontent was largely related to his team’s lack of direction and performance in recent seasons. As the superstar comes up on the twilight of his playing days, he would have liked to be with a club in a stronger position to win trophies.

Barcelona failed to win a trophy in the 2019-20 season for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.

Nonetheless, Messi has no choice but to put his head down and continue to work towards winning again in 2020-21, something he will do with the club that he has starred for for the better part of the past two decades.

The post Messi Returns to Barça Training After Transfer Drama appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has reportedly stated that he is willing to resign from his position at the top of the club if star player Leo Messi commits to staying at Barça.

Messi announced earlier in the week in a fax to the club that his intention was to search for a new club after a season full of turmoil in Barcelona.

The Argentinian star is reportedly frustrated with the team’s board after yet another season full of disappointment. Barcelona failed to win a single title this season and ended their year in humiliating fashion, bowing out to Bayern Munich 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi had a public falling-out with former sporting director Eric Abidal earlier this season, a Bartomeu ally. He has reportedly made the decision to leave Barcelona not only based on problems on the field, but also due to a wide range of disagreements with Bartomeu and the current board.

While elections are currently due to take place next March for the club’s board, Bartomeu would be willing to leave office even sooner if doing so would allow Messi to stay at the club.

No immediate comment has been made by Messi’s camp, but this news adds yet another twist in the ongoing saga of Messi’s potential Barcelona exit.

The post Barcelona President Says He’s Willing to Step Down to Keep Messi appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The biggest star in world soccer, FC Barcelona forward Leo Messi, has told his club that he plans to leave this summer, according to multiple media sources.

Messi reportedly informed the team of his decision via burofax from his native Argentina on Tuesday afternoon. The Argentinian superstar is reportedly unhappy with the team’s lack of success in recent seasons and its turmoil in the boardroom.

The 33-year-old scorer appeared to be visibly upset at various points during Barcelona’s 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Despite Messi’s 31 goals and 26 assists across 44 matches in all competitions this season, Barcelona came home empty-handed at the end of the season after not winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League.

Messi has spent the entirety of his professional career with the Catalan giants after debuting in October 2004. If he does indeed leave the club, it will be with an unmatched set of accomplishments. Messi has scored a total of 634 first-team goals for the club and has helped them win 4 Champions Leagues, 6 Copa del Reys, and 10 La Liga titles.

The club and the player will now look to come to an agreement on the terms of his release clause which enables him to abandon his current contract.

The post Leo Messi Informs FC Barcelona That He Wants to Leave the Club appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leo Messi might be under contract with FC Barcelona until the summer of 2021, but the global superstar made it clear in an interview with Barcelona newspaper SPORT that he would not be opposed to a new challenge in the future given the right circumstances.

Messi told SPORT in an exclusive interview published on Thursday that he has no immediate desire to leave the Catalan club, the two-time reigning champions of La Liga. With that being said, it certainly seems that Messi isn’t tied down to staying at Barcelona forever.

The Argentinian superstar’s words are probably the result of frustration that he has experienced after Barcelona’s Champions League disappointments in recent years. Despite domestic success, Barcelona has been unable to win the UEFA Champions League since 2015.

Last season’s shock exit at the hands of eventual champions Liverpool after losing a 3-0 lead in the first leg of the semi-finals caused rampant frustration after yet another opportunity was squandered by Barcelona for a possible continental triumph.

Recently, it has been reported that Messi has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave Barcelona at the end of this season if he wants to.

While one of the world’s all-time greats doesn’t look set to leave his club in the near future, this situation bears keeping an eye on.

The post Messi: “Barcelona is My Home, But I Want to Win” appeared first on SportzBonanza.