Real Madrid Legend Reacts To Lionel Messi Barcelona Exit Rumors

Lionel Messi has been linked to a move away from Camp Nou following a dramatic 2019/20 season with Barcelona. However, Real Madrid legend Santiago Cañizares said none of the rumors regarding Messi's exit is “viable.”

La Liga was once the most dominant league across Europe, housing two of the greatest players to ever grace the pitch — Messi in Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid. However, the latter decided to leave Los Blancos in 2018 for Serie A giants Juventus. Since then, Messi became the biggest name in the Spanish top-flight.

This season, Barcelona faced a series of roadblocks, losing its La Liga title to Madrid in the process. Along with it, rumors circulated that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner grew tired of Barca’s poor winning mentality.

Manchester City, Inter Milan and Juventus are all linked to a transfer move for Messi, but for legendary La Liga goalkeeper Cañizares, none of the said rumors will come to fruition.

Speaking to Tribal Football, Cañizares weighed in on the idea of Messi leaving Barcelona for clubs outside La Liga. For the Madrid legend, the Primera Division probably has not recovered from the departure of Ronaldo, and losing another player on the same footing doesn’t make any sense.

The four-time La Liga winner also emphasized that the most “normal thing” to happen at this point is Messi staying at Barcelona, where he has enjoyed the best years of his career.

"If he [Messi] has enjoyed his best years at Barça, the normal thing would be that Messi remains a one club man,” Cañizares pointed out.

Prior to being heavily linked to a move to Inter Milan, Man City was the first club to be viewed as a likely destination for Messi, given that City is now managed by his former coach, Pep Guardiola. However, Cañizares is optimistic that this move isn’t “viable” at all.

He also hoped that people would stop speculating on Messi leaving Barcelona.

"I don't see Messi being managed by (Pep) Guardiola in the future. I just don't see it, given that their relationship wasn't ideal. I don't see it as viable. No-one wants Messi to leave La Liga. If it were to happen, let's not attract bad luck by talking about it!” Cañizares said.

Barcelona is now officially eliminated from the Champions League. And as expected, Messi is once again being linked to a move away from Camp Nou.