Barcelona great Rivaldo believes that this upcoming campaign may not be wantaway star Lionel Messi’s final one at the club.
On September 4, Messi ended speculation about his future at Barca by announcing that he would reluctantly stay for another season rather than tackle his career-long club in court.
Last month, the 33-year-old told the Spanish giants that he wanted to leave. And now following his U-turn, Rivaldo says he can see Messi shining at the Nou Camp for another five years.
‘Last week Lionel Messi said he would stay at Barcelona until his contract expires at the end of this season. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed at the club beyond his current deal,’ the Brazilian told Betfair.
‘A lot could happen this season, as Barcelona begin life under new manager Ronald Koeman and elections for club president take place in March.
‘Messi criticised the current president Josep Bartomeu, so if a new president is elected in March perhaps Messi will decide to stay.
‘Messi has his life in the city, his family enjoy living there and the fans have great affection for him. These are reasons to stay and perhaps with a new president, who understands Messi’s needs and can persuade him that the club is heading in the right direction, can persuade him to extend his contract.
‘He loves Barcelona, and nowadays players are fit enough to prolong their careers at the highest level, so I can see Messi playing for them until he’s 38-years-old.
‘Many people are questioning Messi’s commitment after asking to leave the club, but I have no doubt that he will be the same player this season, always trying his best for the club he loves.
‘Of course, he might not start right away after all these problems during the summer, but even in his poorer seasons he scored 30-odd goals, so I’m sure he’ll continue to make the difference for the team.’
By remaining at the Catalan club for the fourth and final year of his contract, Messi is in line for a £63million loyalty bonus and will be able to leave without a transfer fee.
His father and representative Jorge had insisted in a letter to La Liga that a £624m release clause in the player’s contract was not valid and his son could leave for free.
His lawyers wanted to invoke a clause in his four-year contract, signed in 2017, which would have allowed the forward to leave the club for free if he had requested it by June 10.
They argued that that date – nominally the end of the season – was irrelevant after the novel coronavirus pandemic forced an extension of the La Liga campaign deep into August.
However, despite the standoff between the Messi camp and Barcelona and La Liga, the player has ended the impasse and will see out his contract with the club with whom he has won more than 30 major trophies and scored over 600 goals.
Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League last month with an 8-2 demolition by eventual winners Bayern Munich, and hired Ronald Koeman to replace sacked coach Quique Setien.
The news that Messi will be staying at the Nou Camp, albeit reluctantly, will disappoint the clubs who were hoping to sign the iconic forward, including Premier League Manchester City, managed by his former Barca boss Pep Guardiola.
