Lionel Messi has confirmed he will stay at FC Barcelona for the 2020/21 season.
Messi, 33, made the football world come to a complete standstill after their humiliating 8-2 UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich last month as he issued a transfer request.
Manchester City emerged as the leading candidates for his signature with the romanticism of reuniting with Pep Guardiola running wild within English media after Messi sent a burofax in an attempt to leave on a free transfer.
According to Messi, "When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife, it was a brutal drama.
"The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona.
"But I've been telling the president & the club that I want to leave all year long!".
"I wasn't happy and I wanted to leave. I have not been allowed this in any way and I will STAY at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute.
"The management of the club led by Bartomeu is a disaster".
"The truth is that there is no project at this club. They just plug holes as and when things happen.
"I would never go for a war against the club of my life. That's why I'm staying".
"Bartomeu told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700M clause - that's impossible.
"But at the end of the season, the same Bartomeu said it was 'my decision'... he didn't kept his promise".
"I told to the club, to the president in particular, that I wanted to leave. They know this since the start of the past season.
"I told them during all last 12 months. But I will stay here because I don't want to start a legal war", Messi Said.
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