Exactly 10 days after Lionel Messi told Barcelona that he wanted to leave the club, the world’s best player has announced he will allow one more season in Barcelona “to avoid a legal war.”
Messi made the announcement on Friday afternoon, minutes after Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano also tweeted that Messi would be staying.
The news comes less than two weeks after Messi, 33, told Barcelona that he intended to leave the club he left his native Argentina to join almost 20 years ago. Messi has been unhappy with the club for some time.
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Messi reportedly hoped to move to English Premier League power Manchester City, which is coached by Pep Guardiola, his former manager at Barcelona. But after City made it clear that it would only sign Messi on a free transfer, and with Messi unwilling to enter a protracted legal battle with Barcelona, Messi has apparently decided that staying at the Nou Camp this season is his best option.
Messi has led Barcelona to 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns since 2004, winning a record six Ballon d’Or awards along the way.