MX23RW : Friday, May 31 17:11:38| >> :120:28630:28630:

Lionel Messi 'would only leave Barcelona for Champions League contenders'

Messi 'would only leave Barcelona for CL contenders'
© Reuters
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi will reportedly only leave Camp Nou in the quest for Champions League glory, but clubs will have to fork out €100m for the 33-year-old.

Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi would reportedly only leave the Catalan giants for a club capable of winning the Champions League.

Barca were torn to shreds by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of Europe's elite competition on Friday, a result which ultimately led to manager Quique Setien's dismissal.

La Blaugrana are expected to undergo significant changes ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, and with Messi's contract set to expire next summer, the temptation of winning another Champions League trophy could supposedly lead the six-time Ballon d'Or winner to seek pastures new in the near future.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Spanish football expert Graham Hunter said: "If [Messi] is motivated and fit there is every reason to argue he could be exceptional for another three or four years, he just turned 33 in June.

"His contract no longer has that get-out-of-jail-free clause wherein every May the last two or three seasons he could have informed the club he wanted to leave for free.

"This board, for as long as they stay in power, and I think that will be until at least March, will not want to be tainted by being the ones that let Messi escape, as well as being tainted for being known as the board which failed to bring the best out of the final golden years of Messi.

"Clubs who want him are suddenly going to be asked for €100m for a 33-year-old, and it's possible there might be one or two willing to pay that, but he then has to look around and say if I'm disrupting my life and taking my family out of a place where I've always said I wanted to stay, will he be joining a winning franchise?

"He doesn't want to leave for more money or just to be out of the mess that is going on around him, he wants to win the Champions League. It's a very complicated equation to work out how he leaves, or to where he might go.

"Of course, he is waiting to see the developments [regarding the board and manager] and whether he believes that might make a difference to him staying and winning at Barcelona."

Following Setien's sacking, former Barca player and current Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has been tipped to take over in the Camp Nou dugout.

ID:410670: cacheID:410670:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3398:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Barcelona boss Quique Setien watches on as his side are dismantled by Bayern Munich on August 15, 2020
Read Next:
Barcelona to appoint Quique Setien replacement "in the coming days"
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CReal Madrid38298187266195
2Barcelona38267579443585
3GironaGirona38256785463981
4Atletico MadridAtletico382441070432776
5Athletic Bilbao381911861372468
6Real Sociedad3816121051391260
7Real BetisBetis38141594845357
8Villarreal381411136565053
9Valencia381310154045-549
10AlavesAlaves381210163646-1046
11Osasuna38129174556-1145
12Getafe381013154254-1243
13Celta Vigo381011174657-1141
14Sevilla381011174854-641
15Mallorca38816143344-1140
16Las PalmasLas Palmas381010183347-1440
17Rayo Vallecano38814162948-1938
RCadizCadiz38615172655-2933
RAlmeria38312234375-3221
RGranada3849253879-4121


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!