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Associated Press

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 trophy-less season ended with a humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Uefa Champions League.
Barcelona confirmed to 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 centres 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 a 700 million euro (US$826 million) buyout clause.
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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 mega-rich 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 quarter finals, one of the worst defeats in the player’s career and in the club’s history.
The defeat capped a difficult season for Barcelona – the first without a title since 2007-08 – and ignited one of its worst crises ever.
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Messi had been outspoken about his dissatisfaction with some of Barcelona’s decisions this season, talking about the team’s problems and contesting club directors. Sporting director Eric Abidal, who was criticised by Messi, left the club last week.
Messi had been silent since the loss to Bayern, though, raising doubts about his future. The defeat may have been the tipping point for the playmaker. He and his teammates faced furious Barcelona fans who confronted them and criticised the team at the club’s training center after the squad returned from Portugal.
Club president Josep Bartomeu had said he was confident that Messi would finish his career with Barcelona, and that he was a crucial part of incoming coach Ronald Koeman’s plans for the team.
Federer aces Ronaldo and Messi in athlete rich list
Koeman met with Messi last week and the player reportedly told the Dutchman that he saw himself more out than in at the club at that moment.
The coach reportedly had already told other key pieces of the squad that they were not in his plans, including Luis Suárez, Arturo Vidal, Samuel Umtiti and Ivan Rakitic.
After the loss to Bayern, Barcelona announced it would make “profound” changes to the first team and a “wide-ranging” restructuring of the club. The changes began with the firing of coach Quique Setien a few days after the Champions League defeat in Lisbon, and new presidential elections were called for March.


Spanish media said an emergency board meeting was expected to take place on Wednesday, when the club had already scheduled the official presentation of forward Francisco Trincao.
Messi arrived at Barcelona as a teenager in 2001, joining the club’s famed La Masia youth academy. He first-team debut happened in 2003 as a 16-year-old, and since then he led Barcelona to 34 titles. He holds most individual records at the club, scoring 634 goals and making 276 assists in 731 appearances with the club.
Former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol, who was the club captain during much of Messi’s career, tweeted his support to the Argentine. “Respect and admiration, Leo,” Puyol wrote. “You have all my support, friend.”


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Spanish La Liga

Lionel Messi asks to leave Barcelona, faces legal battle

Lionel Messi has asked to leave FC Barcelona. Photo: AFP

epa08625667 (FILE) - FC Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi greets fans prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy soccer match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, 04 August 2019, re-issued 25 August 2020. Messi has sent a certified letter to the club on 25 August communicating his intentions to leave the club. EPA-EFE/ANDREU DALMAU *** Local Caption *** 55378795

epa08625666 (FILE) - FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Granada CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 19 January 2020, re-issued 25 August 2020. Messi has sent a certified letter to the club on 25 August communicating his intentions to leave the club. EPA-EFE/ANDREU DALMAU *** Local Caption *** 55782505

Brilliant Bayern Munich worthy winners in strangest Champions League season yet

Bayern Munich players celebrate with the trophy after the Uefa Champions League final win over Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon. Photo: AFP

Bayern Munich players celebrate with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on August 23, 2020. (Photo by Miguel A. Lopes / POOL / AFP)

Champions League: Hansi Flick’s Bayern bulldozer ploughs back to the final

Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich have bulldozed all-comers in the Champions League this season. Photo: EPA

epa08613506 Bayern Munich's head coach Hansi Flick (R) and Serge Gnabry (L) react during the UEFA Champions League semi final soccer match between Olympique Lyon and Bayern Munich in Lisbon, Portugal, 19 August 2020. EPA-EFE/Miguel A. Lopes / POOL

Lionel Messi to Inter Milan is a dream of club’s Chinese owners  that dates back to 2016

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Napoli at the Camp Nou in the Uefa Champions League. Photo: AP

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Two-time Champions League winner Paulo Sousa conducts the draw for the 2019/20 competition in Nyon, Switzerland. Photos: Uefa

Result of the Champions League quarter-final draw.

Club representatives at Champions League draw.

Spain’s La Liga eyes June 12 return despite five coronavirus positive tests

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring at the Camp Nou. Photo: Reuters

epa08080335 FC Barcelona's forward Lionel Messi (R) in action against Real Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos (L) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, in Barcelona, Spain, 18 December 2019. EPA-EFE/ALBERTO ESTEVEZ

epa07733107 President of the Spanish soccer league La Liga Javier Tebas speaks during a presentation of LaLiga Icons in Tokyo, Japan, 22 July 2019. Japanese soccer club Vissel Kobe's Spanish midfielder and former FC Barcelona player Andres Iniesta became the second LaLiga Icons ambassador. LaLiga Icons is a project by Spanish soccer league LaLiga to praise the most honorable players for achievement in Spanish soccer, with the aim of promoting LaLiga and its value globally throughout social media. EPA-EFE/KIYOSHI OTA

Sport

Football

The 33-year-old Argentinian superstar unhappy with 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich and trophy-less season
Questions remain over Messi’s reported release clause and whether he can walk away


Questions remain over Messi’s reported release clause and whether he can walk away after 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich and trophy-less season.


Uefa Champions League

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi asks to leave Barcelona, faces legal battle

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}The 33-year-old Argentinian superstar unhappy with 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich and trophy-less season Questions remain over Messi’s reported release clause and whether he can walk away

The 33-year-old Argentinian superstar unhappy with 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich and trophy-less season

Questions remain over Messi’s reported release clause and whether he can walk away