LIONEL MESSI has warned Barcelona chiefs: Make big changes or I’m leaving next year, according to reports.
The Argentine cut a distraught figure following the darkest night in the club’s history.
Lionel Messi has threatened to leave Barcelona if they don’t make changesCredit: EPA
Barcelona were pummelled 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals to leave the club facing huge changes from top to bottom.
Messi, 33, has grown disillusioned with life at his boyhood club this season with mounting problems behind the scenes.
And last night’s performance was just the tip of the iceberg.
According to Spanish radio channel El Partidazo de Cope, Messi has told the club he will leave when his contract expires next summer if there isn’t a major restructuring behind the scenes.
With the Argentine legend not getting any younger, Messi is not prepared to spend the twilight of his career at a club going backwards.
A new manager is inevitable with the club targetting former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.
But the real issues lie at the hands of president Josep Bartomeu who has been embroiled in a string of controversial antics.
One of those include paying a PR firm to attack stars such as Messi and Gerard Pique online.
Another change is likely to see the axe of Sporting Director Eric Abidal – of whom had a pubic falling out with Messi.
Bartomeu described last night’s performance as a “disaster” and promised major changes.
He said: “It’s a really heavy defeat.
“I want to congratulate Bayern, who played a great game. They deserve to go through to the semi finals.
“We weren’t at our best, nor near it. Today was a disaster and now we have to make decisions.
“We’ve already thought about some of them. Today isn’t a day for decisions.
“We want to apologise to the fans, members and Barcelonistas.”
Lionel Messi and Barcelona look on in terror as Coutinho scores Bayern Munich’s 8th goal
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
