Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes his Barcelona counterpart Lionel Messi has earned the right to leave the club on his own terms, but has questioned the manner of his exit.
The Spain central defender also said that he is hopeful the Argentine will change his mind and remain at the Camp Nou next season despite his current intentions to leave.
The two players have been rivals for 14 seasons on the pitch and have clashed in multiple El Clasico fixtures throughout the years, becoming two of the most iconic players in Spanish football.
The player is insistent that he will leave the club this summer while the Blaugrana are digging their heels in, saying that not only can he not leave as a free agent but that any buying club would have to pay his €700m release clause, or negotiate a fee.
Messi has scored a scarcely believable 634 goals in 731 official appearances for Barcelona, but his time at the club now appears to be up and he is hopeful of becoming a free agent.
“I believe that Messi has earned the respect of deciding his future, I don’t know if he is doing it in the best way or not,” Ramos told reporters, in quotes carried by El Mundo.
“But for Spanish football and for Barça, we all want them to have the best players. We would like Messi to always stay here.
“Messi makes the Spanish league and his team better, and the Clasicos more beautiful. He is one of the best in the world, there is little more to add, he has earned respect, without any speculation, and we will see what happens.”
