An emotional Lionel Messi has revealed he expected to extend his stay at Barcelona.
It was announced on Thursday the six-time Ballon d’Or winner would not sign a new contract with his boyhood club, with president Joan Laporta saying a day later that the former regime at Barca in addition to LaLiga spending rules had thwarted any hopes of the Argentine staying in Catalonia.
WATCH as Lionel Messi says goodbye to Barcelona
This is the word of Leo #Messi: pic.twitter.com/k0btQ7k1py
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 8, 2021
Speaking at his farewell press conference on Sunday morning, a tearful Messi said: “This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay at home, that’s what we all wanted more than anything.
“We’d always made this our own, we were at home. We thought we would be staying here in Barcelona. But today, we have to say goodbye to all of this.”
