Messi speaks out amid Barcelona exit talks
Lionel Messi has reacted for first time after confirming that he had decided to leave Barcelona saying, “The cycle is over.”
According to Diario Sport journalist Albert Roge, citing Argentine outlet La Nacion, club fans are venting their frustrations out on the president since Wednesday after news broke that Messi is leaving Barcelona this summer.
⚠️🔵🔴 Messi: “Tomé la decisión con Antonela de irme del Barca. Me duele en el alma, pero ya está. Se cumplió el ciclo” (vía @LANACION) #fcblive pic.twitter.com/DHRD5IxpHm
— Albert Rogé (@albert_roge) August 26, 2020
OJO Un grupo de aficionados entran en grupo al Camp Nou. El personal de seguridad no puede pararles. Van a por Bartomeu que está dentro. TENSIÓN EN EL CAMP NOU. Han tenido que intervenir los Mossos d’Esquadra #fcb #fcblive pic.twitter.com/dbilPntNcR
— David Ibáñez (@DavidIbanez5) August 26, 2020
Es el momento de movilizarnos todos los que somos amantes de Leo Messi y ejercer la máxima presión posible sobre Bartomeu…#BartomeuDimissio #BartomeuDimiteYa pic.twitter.com/LTREOz8ziz
— Cristóbal Soria (@cristobalsoria) August 26, 2020
Siempre Messi . Eterno pic.twitter.com/wLaDjbzSsZ
— Alfredo Martínez (@Alfremartinezz) August 25, 2020
“I have taken the decision with Antonela (Messi’s wife) to leave Barca,” Messi is quoted as saying.
“It hurts my soul, but that’s it. The cycle is over.”
It must be remembered that whilst official sources are being quoted by journalists in Argentina and Catalonia, these quotes are yet to be placed on the record or officially recorded.
Indeed, football journalist Guillem Balague has now explained that he believes the quotes come from a fake audio.
It confirms the multiple reports across Spanish and Argentinean media which claimed that Messi is leaving Barcelona and will attempt to activate a clause in his deal which allows him to break his contract.
Messi has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards during his spell at the Camp Nou, where he has spent the entirety of his professional career and firmly established himself as one of the greatest footballers ever to play the sport.
Esto, @LANACION y @crgrosso, es un gran FAKE!!!!
Ese audio es de un imitador, hombre 🤣🤣🤣
FAKE audio of Messi talking about City doing the rounds https://t.co/J7vxr44HNu
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) August 26, 2020
Read Also: Messi gives Manchester City conditions to sign contract
The 33-year-old has a clause in his deal allowing him to leave at the end of any season, and whilst it was thought that deadline passed in June, Marca say his camp believe that it has been extended in line with the prolonged 2019/20 season.
Messi has scored a scarcely believable 634 goals in 731 official appearances for Barcelona, but his time at the club now appears to be up and he is hopeful of becoming a free agent.