It has been well documented that Lionel Messi attempted to leave Barcelona this summer before ultimately backing down and remaining at the Camp Nou.
The Argentine was unsuccessful in his demands to leave the Blaugrana but is now entering the final six months of his contract, with speculation over his future fierce.
Messi has now given an exclusive interview with Catalan radio station RAC1, with early quotes carried by Diario AS, in which the attacking star admits to having a “very bad time” at the club over summer but that he now feels like “fighting seriously” for the club.
Barcelona news has been defined by Messi news this year due to the Argentine’s demands to leave the club with his future once again now coming under scrutiny.
As quoted by Diario AS, Messi said: “The truth is that today I’m fine. It’s true that I had a very bad time in the summer. It started from before that. What happened before the summer, because of how the season ended, the burofax and all that…then it dragged him a bit at the beginning of the season.
“But today I’m fine and I feel like fighting seriously for everything that lies ahead, I am excited. I know that the club is going through a difficult time, at a club level and with the team, and everything that surrounds Barcelona becomes difficult but I’m looking forward to it.”
Messi, who turns 34 next summer, has remained an emblematic star for the Catalan club for whom he has netted 643 goals in a total of 748 first-team appearances – including nine in 17 appearances this season.
I already see black clouds over Madrid and I hear the alarm ringing for the call of Perez’s referees!