Messi Will Stay at Camp Nou Forever According to Barcelona President

Josep Maria Bartomeu, the president of Barcelona, has recently told reporters that he wants the football superstar, Lionel Messi, to stay linked to the football club forever and that he is planning to sit down with the Barcelona. He is looking to extend his contract with the team.

Messi managed to sign a deal less than two years ago that will run until the end of 2021, taking him through to his 34th birthday. Messi, the Argentina international, is showcasing absolutely no signs of slowing down when it comes to playing for the club. He already managed to score 42 goals this season in all competitions and the Barcelona president is already considering what would be his 10th, and perhaps the last, football deal at the club for Lionel Messi.

Josep Maria Bartomeu Comments on Lionel Messi

“We truly want Lionel Messi to have a long football career so everyone can continue enjoying his skills and abilities on the pitch,” Bartomeu stated. “Messi has broken down several borders. Everyone truly admires the talent he has, and he gets applauded around the world by rival fans.

Bartomeu added, “We want to renew Messi’s contract as soon as possible. He is still a young player at heart, and everyone can see that. He still has two years to go on his current contract at Barcelona and is always innovating and improving with every game he plays. I think he still has loads of years ahead of him on the pitch for Barcelona and in the next few months, I will sit down with Lionel Messi to ensure he has many more years at Camp Nou.

Bartomeu continued stating that “Messi is undoubtedly a one-club man; there’s no denying it. However, it goes far beyond what he does on the pitch against other opponents as his relationship with his current club will last forever. We want Lionel Messi always to be part of Barcelona, whether he continues playing for the team or simply linked to the club in another way after he retires.”

Lionel Messi’s Career

Lionel Messi is also considered the top goalscorer for Barcelona with a total of 594 goals. This allowed him to surpass Andres Iniesta when it comes to appearances for the club. He is currently second in the history of the club as Xavi Hernandez is the only player ahead of him with 767 appearances. Lionel Messi has appeared a total of 676 times for Barcelona.

Since Lionel Messi made his incredible debut during 2004, Barcelona has managed to enjoy more success than any other span in the history of the club. The club has claimed 8 of the last 11 La Liga titles, 4 out of 5 Champions League titles, and won 4 Copa del Reys.

However, there’s no denying that a time will come when Messi decided to hang up his boots and the president of Barcelona states that it’s vital for the club to prepare for when that happens.