Barcelona (AFP)

Arrived at FC Barcelona in 2000 at the age of 13, Argentinian Lionel Messi, who has announced that he wants to leave his club forever, is not his first sulk at Barça.

. 2012: several friction with teammates

Despite a reputation as a discreet and accessible teammate, Messi has repeatedly lost his nerves against Barça players.

In September 2012 against Granada in the league, he took on the Spaniard David Villa, guilty of not having served the Argentine star in the right tempo, confirming the rumors about tensions between the two men.

There were also rumors of tensions with the Spaniard Cristian Tello or with the Chilean Alexis Sanchez, who arrived in 2011 for 37 million euros and who would have drawn the wrath of Messi on several occasions.

. 2013: new contract under pressure

Quadruple Ballon d'Or and at the top of his game, Messi signed in February 2013 a contract extension until 2018, with an estimated salary of 12 million euros.

Figures lower than those of his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who was then earning 17 million euros per year at Real Madrid.

But Javier Faus, the vice-president of Barça in charge of the economic and strategic questions of the club, refuses any upgrading, believing that he has no reason "to improve the contract of someone who has already been increased six months ago" .

Javier Faus "does not know anything about football", replies Leo Messi.

This series ends with a public apology from Faus. "Messi is right, I do not know anything about football," said the Catalan leader. "It was just a little misunderstanding that we dealt with him and his father. We made him a new contract."

A year later, the Argentinian will see his salary pass the 20 million euros mark, the largest contract in the world.

. 2015: conflict with Luis Enrique and rumors of leaving for Chelsea

In January 2015, the Spanish press reported a harsh explanation for training between Messi and his trainer Luis Enrique, accusing him of taking himself for "the master of the locker room".

Immediate sanction of the Catalan coach: Messi spends the next match against Real Sociedad on the bench and does not participate in the session the next day, officially for medical reasons.

Exit rumors are flourishing, fueled by Lionel Messi himself, who is starting to follow England club Chelsea on Instagram, as well as two players from the London squad.

. 2017: last extension after months of negotiations

Less than a year before the end of his contract, Lionel Messi signs on November 25, 2017 his ninth and to date last extension with Barça, until June 2021.

The negotiations are taking place under tension. Striker Luis Suarez, close to Lionel Messi, asks that the extension be done "at all costs".

Words that implicitly target the sporting director of the Catalan club, Oscar Grau, who advocates him "common sense and discretion".

"What you have to do is extend it, not use common sense," retorted the Uruguayan striker in the mixed zone in January 2017.

Messi earns an estimated salary of over 70 million euros a year according to "Football Leaks" documents. Added to this is a € 63.5million signing bonus and a € 70million “loyalty bonus” if he does not leave the club before the end of his contract.

. 2020: the tackle on Eric Abidal

Then Barça's technical secretary, the Frenchman Eric Abidal explained in February 2020 that the dismissal of coach Ernesto Valverde a month earlier is due to the behavior of certain players.

"A lot of players weren't happy and didn't work a lot," Abidal said.

In the process, Messi suggests to his former teammate to "give names" in a post on Instagram and believes that "those in charge of sports management should also face their responsibilities".

© 2020 AFP