LEO WANTS TO END CAREER AT BARCA: CONTE

Barcelona, March 15: Antonio Conte said he believed Lionel Messi will remain at Barcelona for the rest of his playing days after watching the Argentine maestro destroy Chelsea’s Champions League hopes.

Messi has frequently been linked with a bigmoney move to the Premier League but Conte is convinced the striker will retire at Barcelona. “I think Leo wants to stay until the end of his career with Barcelona,” Conte said.

“We’re talking about an impossible situation. I repeat: we must have great respect for this player. We are talking about a fantastic player.

“I think he wants to stay in Barcelona for the end of his career. I think it’s the right way for him. He’s writing with his team- mates a great story with Barcelona.”

After full- time, Conte left the field with a congratulatory arm around Messi’s shoulder but Chelsea had chances too, most notably through Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger, who both hit the woodwork.

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud believes his team deserved more.

“Obviously on both matches I regret the posts or bars that we could have. You have to have some success, a little luck,” Giroud said.

“What will stick in the throat is the penalty not given where it is quite obvious that Marcos is pushed in the back or he would have at least tried to shoot. It’s very hard, I think it would have changed the game.”