The future of Lionel Messi is still up for speculations with no new news giving anyone any concrete details about his future. The deadline is also nearing and the player has just over four months left in his huge contract with Barcelona.
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While everyone in the Nou Camp would like to see him stay with the Catalans, recent results have hurt their chances of retaining the player even more. It is hard to imagine Messi wearing a different jersey than the red and blue one and even Barca ‘B’ coach, García Pimienta, admitted that he cannot imagine a Barcelona with their legend.
The 33-year-old himself is a product of La Masia and he worked with coaches like Pimienta to reach the place where he is today. He has won numerous trophies with Barcelona including 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League. His impact on the club is unrivaled and he even won six Ballon d’Ors, the most won by any player. The Catalans and Messi have become synonymous with each other and according to Pimienta, he cannot even picture the club without the player.
Pimienta opens up about Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona.
In an interview with Cadena Ser, the coach said,
"“I don’t know if Messi will continue, I hope he will. I can’t imagine a Barca without him, he has done his entire career here, he has earned the right to decide what he wants to do, but I hope he ends his career with us.”Source Goal"
He went on to say that Barcelona has always been Messi’s home and he hopes the player stays on even though he has the right to decide his future without being ostracized by the club and the fans. Messi wants a competitive team as he is a player who does not like to lose, he wants to win everything possible and the current Catalan squad cannot keep up to his expectations.
Along with that, the lack of a president is also not doing the club any favors. No one can negotiate a contract with him until a president has been elected and that is set to be on March 7th. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are also lurking about in order to snatch him from the Catalans.
Still, all hope is not up, should Barcelona manage to win a trophy and make a concrete plan for the future, which pleases the world’s best player, he might be willing to stay even on a lower wage. He loves the club and said that he would not be talking with any other club till the end of the season and thus this gives the Catalans a glimmer of hope to keep their best player.
Will Lionel Messi retire at the Nou Camp?