'It was a brutal drama... now I am going to continue in the club': Lionel Messi confirms he will begrudgingly STAY at Barcelona for now with superstar finally giving up on his fight for move to Manchester City in stunning U-turn

The superstar's bombshell U-turn was officially announced on Friday evening, although Messi has once again doubled down on his criticism of the board and suggested his desire to avoid a legal battle forced his hand.

The 33-year-old club captain announced he is finally abandoning attempts at a move to Manchester City this summer in a recorded interview despite having initially demanded to leave.



Lionel Messi has confirmed he will remain at Barcelona due to his desire to avoid a legal battle



Jorge Messi had refuted claims from Barca that his son has a €700m release clause in his deal

He also slammed LaLiga for getting involved in the saga and insisting a fee must be paid

Messi told Goal in an explosive admission: 'I wasn't happy and I wanted to leave. I have not been allowed this in any way and I will stay at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute. The management of the club led by (Josep) Bartomeu is a disaster.

'When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama.

'The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools.

'But I looked further afield and I want to compete at the highest level, win titles, compete in the Champions League. You can win or lose in it, because it is very difficult, but you have to compete.



'At least compete for it and let us not fall apart in Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. All that led me to think about that decision that I wanted to carry out.'

Messi told the club he wanted to leave last month after growing tired of the club's leadership.

He had appeared to be willing to fight on when his father issued a statement reiterating his claim that he does not have a €700m release clause.

Messi's father Jorge issued the statement on Friday that appears to quote directly from his contract stating: 'The release clause will not apply when the unilateral resolution of the contract comes into effect after the end of the 2019-20 season.'

The statement also slammed La Liga for wading in on the debate last week and claiming Barcelona were right to demand €700m from anyone who wanted to sign Barcelona's captain.

'We don't know what contract they have analysed,' it said. Also condemning their 'obvious lack of impartiality' in the matter.

But the statement from Messi's father appears to have been the last shot fired before the white flag was raised.

Not having a release clause could have drastically changed things for Manchester City if the Barcelona captain had been prepared to rip up his contract and let a tribunal decide his transfer fee.

But La Liga responded immediately reiterating their position and accusing the Messi statement of having taken the clause quoted from his contract out of context.

La Liga put its weight behind Barcelona's claim Messi was under contract for one more year and with a €700m buy-out clause, with a statement issued August 30.

The statement said: 'The contract is currently in force and has a release clause applicable in the event that Messi decides to unilaterally terminate it.'

La Liga's statement also threatened to block his move away although that would be beyond its juristition if Messi moved from Spain to England.

ghettokid1 paulolee emeijeh powerfulguy vickyrotex angelfrost fuckingmallam45 ebukahades10 buharinawah gbest90

fergie001:

He will remain there o, and leave after another trophyless....Bavarians are wicked

Maxymilliano:
So the transfer request he handed in and the hoopla that surrounded is intended exit from Barca was initial gra gra

paulolee:

lolz he is staying jus for a year bcoz of that high fee barca are saying city sbould pay...i see him signing a pre contract during next season to join city so d barca would be ready when he leaves...

oluDharay:
Barca fans can finally relax their mind

fergie001:

Yes and Barca reserves the rights to ask for a high fee because when he signed it...he was smiling to the bank.

Once its January, he is free to talk with clubs.

daddytime:
Mtcheeew

It is common sense for him to honor his existing contract, see out this season, enjoy his almost £100m earnings, help them to relegation if that's where the board will be happy to go, then take a stroll with no bad blood next season to retain and maintain his legendary status with the club.

Very easy matter wey dem no need think twice.

paulolee:

relax which mind?? isnt it better to cash in on him now that lose him for free next season?? a 200m in the purse can go a long way in getting 2 or 3 players in the market than keeping an unhappy player dt would still end up leaving after jus a season....dts bad business

fergie001:

Messi, I think, made it bad business. I am not comparing but when Ronaldo wanted to leave Madrid, we never heard of a transfer request or the rest...they went into the room and spoke and announced it.

Zidane, Beckham...so many players did same without a fuss. I think he tried to armtwist the club by attempting to walk away from the contract, so the club had to Berahino him.

paulolee:

noooo man...u getting it wrong, cr7 was promised a contracr extension and increased pay but

fergie001:

He will remain there o, and leave after another trophyless....Bavarians are wicked

Angelfrost:


Is this news truly confirmed??! My trusty goal.com never post last time I checked, abi na my browser??!

Well, if true, then I can't say I am surprised... It was always going to be difficult to leave that place, and start afresh... Old dogs don't learn new tricks.

Good luck to both player and club! They are a match made by the gods!!! I hope Koeman gets him to fit fully into his philosophy!

paulolee:

relax which mind?? isnt it better to cash in on him now that lose him for free next season?? a 200m in the purse can go a long way in getting 2 or 3 players in the market than keeping an unhappy player dt would still end up leaving after jus a season....dts bad business

fergie001:

Well, the distraction from the 2-8 was well-orchestrated by those Barca peeps.

He will be making an official statement today....the recording leaked.

fergie001:

He had a release clause of about a billion. Something happened and he went for hundred....What happened?
Why did what happen not happen now!?

Both are @ faults....don't exclude Messi.

Angelfrost:


Oh Well... Man City and EPL fans will have to wait till next year to try their luck again!!!

By then, he would really and truly be a shadow of his prime self.

Angelfrost:


Oh Well... Man City and EPL fans will have to wait till next year to try their luck again!!!

By then, he would really and truly be a shadow of his prime self.

paulolee:

the difference ia dt Perez was at fault for betrayin him by refusing to gv him dt new improved deal and also willing to sell to the next bidder bt messi case is dt the board and squad kept on failing him and lacked the will to compete, messi got bored and needed a better ending of his career with trophies which barca aint showing signs of and most importantly THE BOARD DNT WANT TO SELL unike cr7 case..

paulolee:

same old story, shadown of his prime dt is still better than nearly all players in ur team, he passed his prime bt still currently the best playmaker alive...messi is too good dt even his worst is too high for other players to raeach jus like the case of his goals n assist in la liga last season dt was his worst season...when he decides to walk for free even ur club go join the que..

paulolee:

same old story, shadown of his prime dt is still better than nearly all players in ur team, he passed his prime bt still currently the best playmaker alive...messi is too good dt even his worst is too high for other players to raeach jus like the case of his goals n assist in la liga last season dt was his worst season...when he decides to walk for free even ur club go join the que..

oluDharay:


But Barca board doesn't even know how to spend on players, the money made on Neymar was wasted on Dembele+ Countiho + Antonie, yet no good result

Angelfrost:


ERM... Egbon, no arguments there! He is far better than Ayling, Bamford, Hernandez, Phillips, etc...

I never said he was less than my team na!!! That's why we will queue up with other top clubs to lure him to come inspire the boys next season.

Come fergie001, come and explain to your boy o!!! I don't have strength!!!

paulolee:

lolz...name ur team ans u are calling confused fergie dt is united today and Bavarian tomorrow....is there any player in man.u and bayern that you can mistakenly put in the same sentence with lionel messi?? dts disrespect na..