‘Messi will renew, no Enrique talks’

Josep Maria Bartomeu has no doubt Lionel Messi will sign a new Barcelona contract but was less authoritative on Luis Enrique.

Bartomeu spoke at a Press conference on Thursday and was asked about Messi’s decision to retire from Argentina duty after defeat to Chile in the Copa America Final.

“First, we congratulate [Chile international] Claudio Bravo. Leo doesn’t like losing. It’s his decision, we all know that. He wants to win and defeat has hurt him. It’s a personal matter and we can’t tell him what to do and what not to do. He’s assessed it,” Bartomeu said, AS reports, regarding Messi’s international status.

“At Barcelona, Messi is the equity of everyone. The calendar is long and hard. It’s his decision. Messi is the equity of football. What I want is him to return with a new thought. We have a lot of objectives and although he has two years on his contract we want him to continue. He’ll certainly renew.”

Enrique’s future was also raised but Bartomeu didn’t speak with the same certainty regarding the trainer, who is out of contract next summer.

“I haven’t talked to him. He’s doing well and we’d like him to continue. Expectations were high but he has exceeded them,” Bartomeu noted.

Tags Josep Maria Bartomeu Lionel Messi Luis Enrique
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