Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Messi stays at Barca to avoid 'legal war', calls club management a 'disaster'

LIONEL MESSI has said he will stay at Barcelona, but only because the club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu broke his word to let him leave.

Messi's stinging attack on Bartomeu and the club means his future still remains in doubt.


Even if he is not allowed to go this summer, 33-year-old Messi can negotiate with other teams from January 1 and leave for free when his contract expires in July.

Bartomeu could yet respond with his resignation, having previously indicated he would step down if Messi publicly said he was the problem and agreed to stay.

"I wasn't happy and I wanted to leave. I have not been allowed this in any way and I will STAY at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute," Messi said in an explosive interview with Goal.com.

"The management of the club led by Bartomeu is a disaster.

"I told the club, the president in particular, that I wanted to leave. They knew this since the start of the past season. I told them during all (of the) last 12 months. But I will stay here because I don't want to start a legal war."

He added that it's "been a long time since there has been a project or anything at all".

"They are always juggling and plugging gaps."

Messi believed he had a clause in his contract that meant he could leave for free at the end of last season but Barca said that option expired on June 10.

"The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end he didn't end up keeping his word," Messi said.

"And this is the reason why 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-euro release clause.

"This is impossible, and then the other way was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barca 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."

Barcelona responded to Messi's pledge by posting a picture of the striker on Instagram in the club's new kit, with the caption: "I'm going to give my best. My love for Barça will never change".

Messi had requested to leave the club he joined as a boy following Barcelona's humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with Manchester City the favourites to sign him.

His lawyers sent Barca a burofax on August 25 stating his intention to depart but Messi says he made his feelings clear to Bartomeu long before.

"I told the club, especially the president, that I wanted to go," said Messi. "I've been telling him all year. I believed it was time to step aside.

"I believed that the club needed more young people, new people and I thought my time in Barcelona was over, feeling very sorry because I always said that I wanted to finish my career here.

"It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room. Everything became very difficult for me and there came a time when I considered looking for new goals, new horizons.

"It wasn't because of the Champions League result against Bayern, I had been thinking about it for a long time."

Barcelona ended the season without a trophy for the first time since 2008, which also extended Messi's unsuccessful run in the Champions League to five years.

He has scored 634 goals and won 34 titles with the club that he joined as a 13-year-old and where he came through the ranks at La Masia.

Messi said his decision to leave left his wife and three sons distraught.

"When I told my family that I could go it was a drama," he said. "They all started crying."

Despite his unhappiness at having to stay, the Argentinian insists he will give his all for the team next season under new coach Ronald Koeman, who is trying to overhaul the squad.

"I am going to continue at Barca and my attitude is not going to change, no matter how much I have wanted to go," Messi said.

"I will do my best. I always want to win, I am competitive and I don't like to lose ever."

Messi was absent from pre-season training last week as he continued to try to force a move.

"I said before we couldn't win the Champions League. Now I don't know what will happen," he added.

"There is a new coach and a new idea. That's good, but then we have to see how the team responds and if it means we can compete or not. What I can say is that I'm staying and I'm going to give my best."

More For You

sachin-lords1-pti

The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. (Photo: PTI)

Lord’s honours Tendulkar with portrait, cricketer says ‘full circle’ moment

SACHIN TENDULKAR said "life has truly come full circle" after a portrait of him was unveiled at Lord's on Thursday.

Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen, scored 34,357 runs across Tests, one-day internationals and one T20 match for India during his international career from 1989 to 2013.

Keep ReadingShow less
Annabel Croft

Former tennis player and current presenter Annabel Croft

Getty Images

Annabel Croft’s Wimbledon trainers prove white sneakers are a timeless smart-casual choice

Highlights:

  • Annabel Croft spotted courtside in statement Gucci trainers during Wimbledon
  • Paired the footwear with a pleated blue dress by Boss for a sporty yet polished look
  • The platform sole offered subtle height without compromising on comfort
  • White trainers remain a key smart-casual trend, suitable for a wide range of outfits

Annabel Croft embraces sporty style at Wimbledon

Former tennis player and current presenter Annabel Croft made a notable appearance at Wimbledon this weekend, combining elegance with comfort through a smart-casual ensemble. Dressed in a pale blue pleated dress by Boss, she completed the look with Gucci platform trainers, blending classic tennis aesthetics with modern fashion.

The knife-pleat design of the dress referenced traditional tennis skirts, while the fitted T-shirt silhouette gave the outfit a distinctly athletic feel. Her trainers featured Gucci’s red and green web stripe, offering a designer twist on the classic white trainer trend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Kendrick Lamar and SZA thrill Birmingham crowd with high-energy Grand National Tour show

Kendrick Lamar and SZA light up Birmingham with a dazzling Grand National Tour stop

Highlights:

  • Kendrick Lamar and SZA brought their record-breaking Grand National Tour to Birmingham’s Villa Park on Thursday night.
  • The three-hour set featured solo performances, visual spectacles, and crowd-favourite duets like All the Stars and Gloria.
  • Kendrick arrived on stage in his signature GNX, delivering fiery performances from To Pimp a Butterfly, DAMN., and his latest album GNX.
  • SZA stunned with hits from CTRL and SOS, transforming the stage into a fantasy landscape with high-energy vocals and choreography.

Two of the biggest names in rap and R&B, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, brought their much-anticipated Grand National Tour to Birmingham’s Villa Park on Thursday night, turning the historic stadium into a special musical experience. The pair, who previously wowed the world during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, performed a mix of solo tracks and duets across a three-hour set that left fans exhilarated.

The Grand National Tour, which has already broken records as the highest-grossing co-headline tour in history, continued its momentum in the UK. Following performances in Glasgow, Kendrick and SZA proved once again why they remain at the forefront of global music.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less