Former Barcelona president Rosell worried about Lionel Messi exit

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell is worried about the possibility of Lionel Messi leaving the Camp Nou.

Reports from Cadena Ser radio presenter and journalist Manu Carreno, told the station’s El Larguero programme on Thursday night that the Argentina international has decided to leave the Camp Nou in 2021.

Messi’s contract at the Catalan giants is set to expire in a year’s time and he is now aged 33, so he may see this as his last chance to finish his career elsewhere.

The Argentine superstar has spent the entirety of his career at the Blaugrana and it has long been mentioned that he could opt to retire elsewhere, with a move to his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in his homeland previously rumoured.

“If Messi leaves Barcelona it will be very complicated for the club,” Rosell – who was in office as club president between the summer of 2010 and January 2014 – explained in an interview with ESPN Deportes.

“Everything has to change in terms of the formation and the style of play on the pitch, but also how the club works behind the scenes and the market aspects.

“I hope Messi stays at the club for a lot of years to come because there is no replacement for him, there is no other player like him who exists.”

Messi’s future could be tied into the presidential elections at the Camp Nou in the summer of 2021, with current incumbent Josep Maria Bartomeu set to relinquish his role due to the set presidential terms at the club.

Bartomeu would see the contract renewal of Messi as a positive spin on his legacy at the club and a PR boost for whoever he backs as his successor.

Rosell also said in the interview: “Messi would not allow himself to be used like that, he is too smart to allow himself to be used as part of an electoral campaign.”

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