Barcelona president reveals Messi's fate ... and promises the stars a new decision
Barcelona club president Joseph Bartomeu has settled in the debate raging for days over the fate of the club's icon, Lionel Messi, and talking about his notification to the club of his desire to leave, especially after the humiliating loss of Bayern Munich in the European Champions with a disastrous 8-2 result. "Messi will stay and will not go anywhere else," Ratomeo said in a television interview with the club channel, noting that everything that is going on in the media is unfounded rumors. He said that Messi will be the main supporter of the new coach, the Dutch Ronald Koeman (57), the former player for the club.
He continued: Messi wants to end his career in Barcelona, and he has said it himself several times, which is a very important element in the next project for the team. He added: Messi has a contract with us until 2021, and I talk to him and his father constantly, and we all know that he remains in the club until the end.
Koeman had succeeded in the previous period in leading the Netherlands team to the European Cup 2020 finals, which was postponed to next year, due to the repercussions of the Corona virus. He is considered one of the most prominent players in the club's history, and one of the pillars of the golden period in the early nineties, the days of the late Dutch coach Johan Cruyff's team. Koeman scored the goal to win the Champions League for Barcelona against Sampdoria in 1992.
On the other hand, and within the important decisions that will be taken by the club's management, Bartomeu confirmed that all players, led by stars, will have their salaries reduced in the coming period, to face the crisis of declining financial revenues due to the effects of Covid 19, as well as as a result of losing the LaLiga title, disappointing exit from the Champions League, and ending the season. Without any title.
Bartomeu did not specify the expected rate of reduction, but stressed that it will be necessary, and the situation will not continue as it is currently, and that this is in the interest of the club in order to secure the necessary funds to conclude new deals.
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- Barcelona,
- Messi