Argentine footballing superstar Lionel Messi has decided to remain at his boyhood club Barcelona after weeks of intense speculation about his future, media reported Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2020) Argentine footballing superstar Lionel Messi has decided to remain at his boyhood club Barcelona after weeks of intense speculation about his future, media reported Friday.
Messi handed in a transfer request last month after a crashing out of the Champions League semi-final in a now-famous 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich.
According to Spanish football news outlet Marca, Messi decided to backtrack on his exit plans following consultations with his legal team, where it became clear that he would have to go to court against the club. The 33-year-old reportedly decided against leaving the club, where he had played his entire professional career and won countless accolades, in a legal battle.
Reports emerged last year that the six-time Ballon D'Or winner has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave at the end of any season for free. Following Messi's transfer request, Barcelona management has disputed this and maintained that they can only let Messi go if his 700 million euro ($829 million) release clause is activated.
Messi has thus far not attended a single pre-season training session and also skipped a coronavirus PCR test. He remains, reportedly, part of the Barcelona squad's WhatsApp group.
Marca reported that Messi is expected to release a statement on his future shortly.
