Lionel Messi decided to stay at Barcelona for one more season.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner told Goal.com that he will not be leaving the team right now.
The Argentine footballer also explained in detail why he did not intend to continue his career at the Catalan club, and accused the president of the club Josep Maria Bartomeu that he did not keep his promise to let go of the striker at the end of last season.
“I am staying at Barcelona.
My desire to leave will not affect my attitude towards the team.
I will continue to do my best.
I always want to win, I like to compete and I don't like to lose, ”the footballer said.
The eventual departure of Messi from the team in which he spent his entire professional career was a major topic of football offseason.
The fact that one of the best players in history was determined to leave Barcelona was no longer a secret, and fans could only discuss when and under what circumstances this would happen.
Messi admitted that he had been thinking about leaving the club for a year, and a major 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich in the last Champions League was not the only reason that prompted him to do so.
The Argentine did not hide his intentions from Bartomeu and directly told him about his desire to change the situation.
According to Messi, the Barcelona president kept postponing the discussion of this topic and promised the footballer that at the end of the season he would definitely release him in accordance with the terms of the contract.
However, when the Argentinean wanted to leave and notified the club of his decision on bureaux, Bartomeu, according to the athlete, did not keep his word: he told Messi that he would release him only if the € 700 million compensation was paid, which the player could not do.
“All year I have been telling the president that I want to leave, that it’s time to look for new goals and new directions in my career.
At that time he said that we would talk, but later, he said something else, but nothing happened.
Bartomeu did not explain to me what he meant.
Submitting the bureaux was an official statement that I wanted to leave, that I was free and would not renew my contract for another additional season.
I didn't want to make a scandal and go against the club, but only to formalize my decision, ”Messi said.
The Argentinian had the opportunity to terminate the contract until June 10, but he did not use this option due to the fact that Barcelona still continued to play in the Spanish Liga and the Champions League.
When that deadline passed, Messi continued to believe Bartomeu's promises that he would release the player at the end of the season.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner had only one option to leave Barcelona right now - to start a lawsuit against his club and get a positive decision for himself.
However, Messi did not dare to take such a step out of respect for the team in which he wanted to end his football career.
“My only way out was a lawsuit.
But I would never sue Barcelona, because I love this club, it gave me everything from the moment I first appeared.
This is the team of my life, I lived it here.
Barcelona gave me everything, and I gave myself completely to her.
I didn’t even have such a thought to go to court, ”Messi said.
The footballer admitted that this whole situation with leaving Barcelona was too difficult for him.
He stated that the whole family could not hold back tears when he announced his intention to leave the team and move to another city, where he can pursue a career.
Messi noted that most of all he wants to win new titles, play at the highest level and be part of a sports project that sets itself only the most ambitious goals.
However, according to him, “Barcelona” is no longer such a project, and the club's leadership, headed by Bartomeu, is also to blame for this.
Nevertheless, Messi intends to resume training under the guidance of new coach Ronald Koeman and try to win the trophies in his last season at Barcelona.