Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has sent a message of support to Lionel Messi after the captain told the Catalan giants he wants to leave the Camp Nou.
Messi wants to terminate his contract, which still has a year left to run, and depart before the start of the new season.
Puyol took to Twitter with a message that read: “Respect and admiration, Leo. All my support, friend.”
Respeto y admiración, Leo. Todo mi apoyo, amigo.
The tweet also seemed to go down well with Messi’s Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez.
The Uruguay international also appears on his way out of Barcelona. New manager Ronald Koeman has told the 33-year-old he’s not in his plans for next season. The striker is “very upset” with the way he’s been treated by the club.
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Koeman Angered Messi
Koeman also seems to have upset Messi. The two met to discuss the future in a tense meeting that left the Argentine surprised by the new coach’s approach, according to
Deportes Cuatro.
Ther report explains there was one phrase in particular that did not seem to go down well with the 33-year-old: “The privileges in this squad are over, you have to do everything for the team. I’m going to be inflexible; you must only be thinking about the team.”
Koeman made it clear when he was unveiled at the Camp Nou that he only wanted to work with players who want to be at the club. It seems that Messi has decided that his time is up.
What Next for Barcelona and Messi?
Barcelona have responded to Messi’s request to leave the club and have told the Argentina international “he does not have legal substance to do so,” according to Lluis Miguelsanz at Sport.
Messi believes a clause in his contract means he can leave now, but the club have argued that the “clause expired in June, meaning that clubs must pay the 700 million euro release clause if they want to sign him.”
Barcelona are not interested in listening to offers for their greatest ever player but have a problem if he does not want to stay. Messi is not intending on reporting for PCR testing with the club or turning up for pre-season training, according to Alfredo Martínez at Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
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Puyol & Suarez React to Messi’s Decision to Leave Barcelona