Lionel Messi could be playing his last game for Barcelona, with sensational claims the captain is ‘determined’ to leave this summer, reports in South America have revealed.
Meanwhile, reports in Spain suggest that Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman is being lined up to replace Quique Setien, who looks certain to leave after the Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich.
It’s not a good time to be in Barcelona right now. The club is expanding rapidly, and even Messi – who the club have relied on heavily to keep them competitive at the top – was unable to salvage a disastrous 2019/20 season.
News Focus: Messi Wants To Leave Barcelona Not in 2021. now. pic.twitter.com/XTcJwYIa2s
— Marcelo Bechler (@marcelobechler) August 16, 2020
The Catalan giants dropped their La Liga title to Real Madrid, and Bayern ended their campaign short of the trophy on Friday evening after holding them to eight goals – two of which came from Barcelona-owned Philippe Coutinho.
The result has spooked the club, to the extent that Brazilian outlet Esporte Interativo, who fronted the news of Neymar’s move to PSG, say Messi is ready to give up too. He is actually more than ready – he says he is ‘committed’ to an exit this summer, a year before his contract expires in 2021.
Where he might go is anyone’s guess. Inter have been linked in the past, while a meeting with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City was also briefly discussed, but none of the rumors have been particularly convincing. A return to Argentina with Neville’s Old Boys? MLS bound? We can speculate, but there’s really nothing to indicate what direction he’ll go if he fulfills his apparent desire to leave.
Ronald Koeman is now ‘best placed’ to become Barca manager, reports Marca.
Pochettino is receiving pushback over his Espanyol past, saying he would rather return to his Argentina form than manage Barcelona.
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) August 16, 2020
In less big but still beautiful Barcelona news, Marca have come out with a report that says former Barca midfielder Koeman Setien is the most likely to replace him.
Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was in the frame, but his past with Catalan side Espanyol, during which he said he would ‘rather work on a farm in Argentina than manage Barcelona’, is said to have put directors at risk. has left