YOU DON’T MESSI WITH LEGEND LEO
Abidal in dock after Barca icon’s meltdown
LIONEL MESSI is set to win the Barcelona power struggle after his meltdown plunged the club into crisis.
The Barca superstar went public with his anger at sporting director Eric Abidal after a spat which has raised the unthinkable prospect of Messi leaving the Nou Camp.
Former team-mate Abidal has been called to a meeting with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu over the angry fall-out – and there would appear to be only one winner.
Messi was incensed when Abidal suggested in a media interview that former gaffer Ernesto Valverde’s sacking had been down to players not working hard enough.
Argentina star Messi, seen by many as the greatest player of all time, is reported to have a clause in his contract allowing him to walk away at the end of the season.
And Nou Camp chiefs fear there is a danger of Messi leaving in the wake of Abidal’s comments.
Frenchman Abidal said: “The relationship between the coach and dressing room was always good but there are things that as an ex-player I can sense. I told the club what I thought and we had to make a decision.”
Messi took to Instagram to hit back and wrote: “I honestly do not like to do this kind of thing but I think that everyone has to be responsible for their job and take responsibility for their decisions.
“Players for what happens on the field, we are also the first to acknowledge when we don’t play well.
“Those in charge of sporting direction should also face up to their responsibilities and above all take charge of their own decisions.
“Lastly, when you talk about players, you should give names because otherwise you are tainting everyone’s name and feeding rumours that spread and are not true.”
Messi joined Barcelona in 2001 as a 13-year-old and the closest he has ever come to leaving was in 2013 when he was embroiled in a criminal tax case.
Manchester City were heavily linked with him but Messi opted to stay and the 33-year-old was set to finish his career at Barca– until this row blew up.