Lionel Messi Has One Reason To Leave Barcelona, Quique Setién Says

Barcelona head coach Quique Setién assumes Lionel Messi still has one reason to leave the club.

As part of a clause in Messi’s contract, the long-time Barcelona captain reportedly will be able to leave on a free transfer this summer. Ahead of the possible opportunity to sign Messi, both Inter Milan and Manchester City have been mooted as potential suitors.

Despite all the drama behind-the-scenes, Barcelona coach Setién remains positive that Messi will end his career at Camp Nou. According to Setién, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner should not be worried about his future with Barcelona amid Barca's boardroom civil war.

"I don't think what happened has made a player like Messi rethink whether or not to [stay with] the club. I am sure he will finish his career at Camp Nou," Setién told TV3 Thursday (April 16), according to a transcript by Goal.com.

However, in a recent interview with El Transistor on Onda Cero (via Ghana Soccernet), Setién revealed that he just found out recently that Messi can leave at the end of the season if he wants to. And based on the Barcelona coach’s perspective, Messi might leave the club if he will not be satisfied with the team’s winning gameplan.

"If Messi didn't have it clearly in his head that Barcelona have a winning project, maybe he would go, but Barcelona are always looking to have a winning project," Setién revealed.

When asked about if Barcelona could win the league without playing again due to the global lockdown, Setién admitted that if ever it will happen, he will not feel like a champion.

"I think that's complicated, while things aren't cleared up and I prefer to stay at home. If it has to be ended then the most normal thing would be to leave it as it is, but I would not feel like a champion," Setién admitted.

Former Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas was also asked about Messi and Barcelona’s situation. Fabregas, who was Barcelona youth academy player, recently revealed to Cadena Cope, per Metro, what Messi has been telling him about his future with the club. According to the Spanish star, Messi has been certain that he will end his career with the Catalan Club.

“I speak with Messi and his idea has always been to end his career at Barcelona. ‘Many things can happen at a club but I am fully confident that his career will end at Barca,” Fabregas said.