Lionel Messi will ‘end his career’ at Barcelona - Bartomeu

Lionel

Messi

LIONEL Messi will “end his working and footballing life at Barcelona”, the club’s president has said.

Josep Maria Bartomeu dismissed reports the Argentina international, 33, was unwilling to renew his current contract when it expires in 2021.

“We are negotiating with many players but Messi has explained to us he wants to stay,” Bartomeu told Spanish network Movistar.

“And so we’re going to enjoy him for much longer.”

Bartomeu was speaking following the Catalan club’s 4-1 La Liga win at Villareal on Sunday evening, which saw them close the gap to leaders Real Madrid to four points.

Earlier, a Sergio Ramos penalty ensured Real edged to a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao.

The spot-kick was awarded following a VAR review, while Bilbao had a penalty appeal of their own turned down, leading Bartomeu to question the fairness of the technology.

“I saw the game in Bilbao and although I don’t like to say it, I’ll repeat that VAR is not being used as it should be,” he said.

“Since the season returned after the Covid-19 crisis it has not been equal, that has been reflected in the results and it looks as if it always favours the same team.”

In response, Real coach Zinedine Zidane said he was “tired” of his side’s victories being criticised. -BBC

GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA

VETERAN Paul Kalumba at the weekend scooped the 2020 National Scrabble Championship held at Tecla Lodge in Lusaka.

Eight-time national champion Kalumba popularly known as PYK scored 12 wins out of 16 games and an impressive spread of 1194 to emerge victorious and walked away with a trophy and K2, 000 at a two-day tournament held by the Scrabble Association of Zambia..

In second place was the former champion Justin Chansa who won 12 games but had a lesser spread of 1176 after he lost the final match to Kalumba. Chansa got a trophy and K1, 000. Veteran Patrick Mpundu settled for third position with 12 wins but a lesser spread of 815 after he tumbled twice to Chansa and was edged out of the finals. Mpundu pocketed K600 and a trophy.

Ndola based Frank Chitambala took fourth place with a prize of K400 while immediate past champion, Isaac Mwape had a tough tournament, finishing a distant ninth position with only eight wins.

Kalumba, Mpundu and Chansa were yesterday jostling for the Masters Championship at the same venue. The Masters is an exclusive event where the top 10 rated players battle it out.