Messi stays at Barcelona: live updates, reactions, fallout
Messi staying at Barcelona - latest updates 5 September
Messi: Why I am staying at Barcelona despite heartbreak
Lionel Messi broke his silence on why he sought to leave Barcelona, revealing to Goal a long-running dispute with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the overall direction of the Spanish club, as well as a lot more...
More in the store for Barcelona and LaLiga next season. Despite the club blocking his move, Messi has promised to give everything next season, which could very well be his last in Spain.
Pre-Koeman managers
The answer to our last question is eight!
Frank Rijkaard (2004-2008), Josep Guardiola (2008-2012), Tito Vilanova (2012-2013), Jordi Roura (2013), Gerardo Martino (2013-2014), Luis Enrique (2014-2017), Ernesto Valverde (2017-2020), Quique Setién (2020)
Monday should see day one of coach number nine for the number ten...
Managing Messi
Messi is expected to head into the training session on Monday under the new leadership of Ronald Koeman.
Do you know how many managers have coached the Argentine star during his time at Barcelona? (Answer in a few minutes...)
Making football look too easy
The ESPN crew discussing the contribution of Messi, long before the events of this last week.
Do the points raised here provide a clear understanding of why the player felt he needed to move?
Messi finished at Barça?
That may seem like an odd headline given that the player appeared to end speculation with his U-turn, but it's what AS' madridista Tomás Roncero is saying.
To be fair to him, there have been a number of people pointing to the fact that it could be difficult for him to pull on the blaugrana shirt again. And several still think he may be on his way before the extended transfer window ends.
"Let's go for more!"
Training continued today while the fallout from the Messi saga, erm, fell. And Junior Firpo was feeling motivated.
No contact
La SER journalist here making an important point. Throughout all of this, Barcelona club president and Lionel Messi have not had any direct contact with each other. Rather telling.
7 greatest Messi revenge moments
What can Bartomeu expect? Or were the comments in yesterday's interview punishment enough?
Messi can't help standing out
And they say he had a quiet season...
What will 2020/21 bring given everything that has happened in the last week or so?
De Jong happy
Frenkie de Jong has shared his thoughts on Messi's decision. incredibly we're yet to find a teammate who's disappointed...but there's still time.
“Yes, I read it. Personally I am very happy with it. He is the best player in the world. So if he stays, you are happy.
“I have not had any contact with people from Barcelona. It became known quite late and we were preparing for the game, but I am very happy with it."
Check out everything he had to say by following the tweet below:
Cristiano, Kobe, Suárez, Favre...
Lionel Messi is following in the footsteps of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kobe Bryant by remaining at his club after making his desire for a move clear.
Here's what happened in those other cases:
Messi-less Barça training
The world is watching every movement around the club as people await a glimpse of the man who appeared - actually, that should be 'appears' - desperate to leave.
Everything points to him arriving for duty on Monday but...
Thiago respects Messi decision
Bayern Munich and Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara has spoken about the news that Messi is to remain at Camp Nou.
"Any decision that is beneficial for the club you support is wonderful for that team, in this case Barcelona," Thiago said.
"We have seen what he has said. I have nothing to evaluate. We have to respect it. I am at another club, so that's not for me to comment."
Words never forgotten
This Barcelona-based journalist points to an interview Messi did earlier in the year where he said, "I can't even consider leaving Barça" and " If the club want, I have no problem continuing"
This, no doubt, is in reference to the player's words in yesterday's U-turn where he stated he had been telling Bartomeu for a long time that he wanted out.
A return to the past for a fresh start?
In case you haven't already seen it with all the other news coming in, former Barça president Joan Laporta posted a tweet last night following Messi's announcement. It reads:
'Magnificent Leo, a wise decision, very well explained. And now we keep fighting to win again and continue making history. Today Messi you have given more joy to Barcelona!'
As we stated earlier in the feed, Laporta is aiming to oust Bartomeu and return to the head of the club.
No Messi testing this morning
Well that's not entirely accurate. The player did not turn up at the Barça training facilities for his Covid-19 test - as the rest of the squad had done last week - but it is believed that he undertook the appropriate tests at his home. Quite possibly to avoid the masses.
Assuming this did happen, and the results are fine, the Argentine star will join up with Koeman and co. for the first time on Monday. (Sunday is a day of rest for the lads)
Players working hard
A masked Koeman watches on as his troops (those available to him at the moment, at least) are put through their paces.
As we reported earlier, Messi is expected to join them at the start of the week.
Messi has posted a pic of this three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, the eldest of whom was deeply upset by their father's decision to leave Barcelona, as the player himself admitted in his candid Goal interview.
"Mateo is still little and he doesn't realise what it means to go somewhere else and make your life a few years elsewhere," said Messi.
"Thiago yes, he is older. He heard something on TV and found out something and asked. I didn't want him to know anything about being forced to leave, to have to live in a new school, or make new friends. He cried to me and said, 'let's not go', I repeat that it was hard, really."
Messi interview as he decides to stay at Barcelona
ICYMI: Full Messi interview
If you haven't seen it yet, here is the full translated transcription of Messi's Goal interview...
Messi's top five seasons
The oultet with whom Messi revealed he would remain at Barcelona in a candid interview, Goal have compiled the Argentine forward's five best seasons...
Depay close to Barcelona switch
With Luis Suarez Juve-bound, Lionel Messi looks set to form a strike partnership with Memphis Depay during what will likely be the Argentine captain's last season at Camp Nou...
Now it's getting juicy as the crisis moves to men in suits level... Platforma Més que una Moció has announced the support of Joan Laporta, former president of Barcelona, in a motion of no confidence against current president, Josep Bartomeu…
Memphis Depay to join Barcelona as Koeman looks to home
Meanwhile, Barcelona fans will no doubt be mollified to learn that the club's third-highest scorer of all time is to be replaced by Memphis Depay.
PSG and Juventus to make moves for Luis Suárez
Here's the full story on where Luis Suárez might end up. Juventus and PSG are both reportedly interested in the Uruguay striker, who may be feeling pretty happy with Ronald Koeman's decision to discard him under the circumstances.
Messi wasn't the only senior player missing from training today. Luis Suárez and Arturo Vidal were also nowhere to be seen with their respective moves to Juventus and Inter Milan expected to be announced shortly...
Gary Lineker have given his thoughts on the Messi sitaution: "Just caught up with the extraordinary Messi interview. After all he’s done for the club, over almost 2 decades, it’s such a shame that Barcelona wriggled out and didn’t grant him his wishes. An amicable and satisfying finale of the Messi/Barça era is now difficult to envisage.
Majority of fans say better if Messi had left Barcelona - AS survey
Lionel Messi’s decision to stay at Barcelona has not gone down well with fans. Of the more than 26,000 participants surveyed in an AS poll who were asked: ‘Do you agree with Messi staying at Barcelona?’, 61.6% have said ‘No’, while 38.4% have stated ‘Yes’.
ICYMI: Messi's full interview with Goal
In case you missed it, here is the transcript of Messi's full interview with Goal, in which he revealed he would stay at the club....
Barcelona pre-season friendly announced against Girona
Barcelona have announced that they will play a pre-season friendly against neighbours Girona on September 16. Will Messi be lining up?
Spain coach Luis Enrique on Messi situation
Current Spain and former Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique, has given his thoughts on the Messi situation at a training camp press conference:
"I don't know whether to speak about Messi, but I'm going to do so. I think clubs are above all people, players and presidents. Barcelona, founded in 1899, is one of the best in the world and has always won titles. It is evident that there has been a wonderful relationship [between the club and Messi].
“Leo has made Barça grow exponentially but I would have liked much more if a friendly agreement had been reached. Sooner or later Messi will stop playing at Barça... Barcelona will continue to win titles without Messi, and Messi will continue to be a wonderful footballer. "
Messi decides to stay at Barcelona
Last week, Lionel Messi rocked FC Barcelona by telling the club by burofax that he wanted to leave. It appeared then that the player's mind was already made up and that he would not play again for the club he has served for practically his entire career.
However, the situation has been developing during the past few days after the player's father Jorge held a crisis meeting with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu on Wednesday. Now the Argentinean has apparently decided to stay at Camp Nou, which leaves El Presi in a bit of a tight spot.