It’s the end of an era for Lionel Messi at Barcelona as the Spanish club confirm that the Argentine forward will not renew his contract at the club.
This was revealed in a statement released Barcelona’s official website.
The statement reads:
Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.
Widely seen as one of, if not the greatest player of his generation, Messi has made 778 appearances for Barcelona, racking up 672 goals, 308 assists and 6 ballon d’ors in the process.
