Lionel Messi has decided to leave “Barcelona”

Spanish "Barcelona" confirmed the information that the Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has decided to leave the club, reports Football Espana.

According to information, the striker has submitted a request to leave “Barcelona”, but the club intends to make efforts to persuade him to stay. Messi sent burofax that he wants to exercise his right to terminate his contract unilaterally at the end of the season.

Recall that after the crushing defeat by “Bayern” in the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League (2:8), the Spanish media reported that Messi decided to leave the Catalan team. The 33-year-old Argentine's agreement with the blue-garnet is valid until 2021. The team did not win any trophies this season.

Last season, Lionel Messi played 44 games for “Barcelona”, scoring 31 goals and making 24 assists. The German portal Transfermarkt estimates the player at 112 million euros.

Messi has been playing for the first team of “Barcelona” since the age of 17 and is a long-term captain of the team. With the club, he won ten Spanish League titles, four UEFA Champions leagues, six Spanish Cups, eight Spanish super cups, three European super cups and three world club Championships. Six times he became the top scorer of the UEFA Champions League and six times-the Spanish championship.