Messi wants out of Barca signaling end of bright era

BARCELONA, Spain—after dozens of titles, hundreds of goals and countless records, Lionel Messi’s spectacular career at Barcelona could be coming to an abrupt end. The divorce may turn ugly, too.

Messi told Barcelona on Tuesday that he wants to leave after nearly two decades at the club, having grown unhappy after a trophyless season ended with a humiliating loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Barcelona confirmed to The Associated Press that Messi sent the club a document expressing his desire to leave. But the club hinted that a legal battle could be coming and said it won’t automatically grant the Argentina great his wishes. Barcelona said it told Messi in response that it wants him to stay and finish his career at the club.

The dispute centers around a clause in Messi’s contract.

Barcelona said the document sent by Messi referenced a clause allowing him to leave for free at the end of the season. However, the club said the deadline for triggering that clause expired in June and that it would seek legal advice. Messi’s contract also includes an $826 million buyout clause.

The Spanish season would normally have ended in May but was pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“If Messi is to leave Barcelona by activating a release clause, then I hope the club [tries] to help, not hinder him,” former England and Barcelona striker Gary Lineker said on Twitter. “He’s been fiercely loyal and their greatest ever player. It would be terribly sad if it finished with a fight between the player and the club.”

If Messi can leave for free, he will have no shortage of suitors. However, only a handful of clubs could realistically afford to pay his wages even without a transfer fee—with megarich Paris Saint-germain and Manchester City widely seen as perhaps the most likely destinations.

The 33-year-old Messi has won a record six Ballon d’or awards during his time at Barcelona as the top player in the world, and has helped the club win 10 Spanish league titles and four Champions League crowns.

Messi’s announcement came 11 days after Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinals, one of the worst defeats in the player’s career and in the club’s history.