Lionel Messi has confirmed that he would remain at Barcelona for the coming season, the captain announced his intention to end his contract at Barcelona which runs to 2021.

“I never wanted to go to court with Barcelona because it’s the club that I love,” Messi told Goal.com as he revealed his stance.

“If that was the only way of leaving, I’m staying.”
He is now expected to return to pre-season training ahead of the start of LaLiga Santander this month.

This announcement comes after talks were held between Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Jorge Messi, Lionel’s father and agent, this week.
“I told the club, including the president, that I wanted to go.

“I’ve been telling him that all year, I believed it was time to step aside.
“I believed that the club needed more young players, new players and I thought my time in Barcelona was over.

“I felt 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 ambitions.

“It did not come because of the Champions League result against Bayern, no – I had been thinking about the decision for a long time.

“I told the president and, well, 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 did not keep his word.”

Messi went on to reveal the moment he told his family about his desire to leave the Camp Nou.
“When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama,” he said.

“The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools.
Messi will remain at the club for at least for another season.

source:- fcnaija