Camp Nou: Lionel Messi denied taking a mandatory Coronavirus test on Sunday (August 30) at Barcelona’s training ground ahead of the first- team’s first pre-season practice session starting on Monday. With no testing, Messi won’t be able to join the Catalan side and his act clearly suggests the Argentine is adamant to leave the club.
The 33-year-old shocked the entire world last week when reports emerged that he wants to end association with Barcelona after spending 16 years with them which saw him score over 600 goals and win 33 trophies. The decision came in after Barcelona suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.
With a big number of clubs already extending their hands trying to land Messi at their home, the Barca talisman is likely to move to Premier League possibly at Manchester City. And the biggest factor is City manager Pep Guardiola who also served as Barcelona coach before and has a good rapport with Messi.
Sportslight Media spoke with a senior Argentinean journalist regarding Messi’s move and he also hinted the same. “Most likely Manchester City. Of course, he (Pep Guardiola) is a big factor but not just that. Another factor is in terms of being in part of an ambitious project and be happy with his family,” the journalist said.
Both Barcelona and Manchester City haven’t won the Champions League for a long time and the arrival of Messi at Etihad could see revive in fortunes. “He also wants to win the Champions League again,” the journalist added.
The striker was due at the Barcelona training ground in the morning but did not show up at Joan Gamper training complex. Meanwhile, Uruguayan star Luis Suarez has turned up for the test, despite being reportedly called by new manager Ronald Koeman that he is no longer needed at Camp Nou.
Other first-team stars, including Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Jordi Alba, were spotted turning up for the pre-season test. Arturo Vidal, who is speculated to leave Barcelona on a free transfer, was also in attendance.
Koeman arrived at the facilities for the first time since he won the European Cup as a player with the side in 1992. It is believed that the Messi will be weakened in the legal dispute with Barcelona should he continue to abstain from pre-season training. The Argentinean has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave after the end of each Barcelona season on a free transfer.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by Barcelona, it said Messi’s contract can only be terminated by the player if the release clause is paid in full. “The contract is currently in force and contains a ‘termination clause’ applicable in the event that Lionel Andres Messi decides to urge the early unilateral termination of the contract, carried out in accordance with article 16 of royal decree 1006/1985, of June 26, by which the special employment relationship of professional athletes is regulated,” a Barca statement said.
“In compliance with the applicable regulations, and following corresponding procedure in these cases, La Liga will not carry out the process for a player to be de-registered from the federation unless they have previously paid the amount of said clause.”
