Barcelona boss opens up about Lionel Messi’s uncertain future

Ronald Koeman in an extensive interview with The Athletic, finally revealed his opinion on the Lionel Messi transfer saga. The Dutch manager is not confident that the Barcelona captain will stay on after the end of the season. However, he is also ready to accept the Argentine’s decision and move forward accordingly.

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33-year-old, Messi, is a legend in the footballing club and has been with the Catalans since he was only 13. No one could ever imagine him playing in another club and when he sent in an official transfer request, the whole footballing world was shocked. His decision to leave the club came after an absolutely humiliating defeat at the hands of the German powerhouse, Bayern Munich, in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Barcelona along with La Liga prevented the veteran’s move away from the club by saying that the season was officially already over and Messi had missed his window of opportunity. This left the player upset but he decided to continue on at the club till the end of the 2020-21 season. With the player being in the last five months of his contract, everyone is wondering whether he will leave or stay at his boyhood club.

Lionel Messi’s Barcelona future in doubt.

Koeman said in the interview that he is hoping the captain will stay on but he is not confident that he will. He said in the interview,

"“I’m not confident about that [Messi extending his contract]. I’m hopeful, yes, about this because he’s still a great player and he’s still winning matches for us, for the team”Source Goal"

He went on to say that Messi has been a Barcelona player for so long that it’s hard to imagine him wearing other colours. Koeman then stressed on the fact that the club must fix their problems with Messi in order to convince him to stay. He said,

"“First of all, what I said to the club was, ‘OK, it’s not my problem. It’s a problem between the club and Leo Messi. And you have to resolve that’.”"

While tension is still high after the situation in August, Messi has had a lot of time to think about his career and his family and will make a decision accordingly. The manager said that he had no problems with Messi on a professional level and that they even sat down together to come up with tactics. At the end of the day, Messi is willing to give his all for Barcelona this season. Whether he leaves or stays in the next one is his prerogative but the club must go on regardless.

Will Messi stay or leave Barca at the end of the season?