Lionel Messi May Backtrack on Barcelona Leave - Report

By Staff, Agencies

Although FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi voiced a clear intention last week to leave his long-time club, it appears he does not want to leave in a way that could tarnish his legacy and may be prepared to stay with the Catalans a little longer, Marca reported.

According to the Spanish edition, President Josep Maria Bartomeu is in no way set to back down in terms of the hefty release clause the receiving side should pay for Messi in the event of a transfer, and Messi does not want to be involved in a court case to have his contract terminated.

It remains to be seen whether Messi will return to training in the next few days, which would confirm his change of heart.

Messi, who has been with the Catalan club for 20 years, last week told the team's bosses that he wants to quit following a humiliating 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinal.

Meanwhile, Messi and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had a lengthy phone talk earlier this week, although it remains unclear if a potential move to City was discussed, according to El Chiringuito's Cristobal Soria.

The Spanish outlet claimed at the time that Messi told Guardiola during the phone conversation that he is striving to win the Ballon d'Or in both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.

The two remain close since their time together at Camp Nou when they twice won the Champions League - a fact that has solidified rumors that a Man City transfer is Messi's favorite option.

Manchester City are reportedly desperate to become Europe's all-time grandees and Messi is seen as a much-sought after signing that may finally make it possible, the Spanish media reported.

On Tuesday, Messi told Barca via burofax that he sought to leave Camp Nou, where he first started playing in his early teens.