LIONEL MESSI reportedly clashed with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen during training as the fallout from the Argentine’s row with Eric Abidal continues.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future at the Nou Camp has been plunged into doubt following his public frustrations at the state of the La Liga club.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi walked past his teammates during a pre-match huddle against Valencia
The Argentine then exchanged a frosty exchange with Gerard Pique
Spanish publication Deportes Cuatro claimed that the 32-year-old’s actions before his side’s 2-0 loss to Valencia shows that he is “fed up with the board of Josep Maria Bartomeu.”
The report states that Barcelona players always have a pre-match huddle at the end of every warm-up, but video on social media proved that Messi refused to get involved.
The forward instead walked straight down the tunnel after exchanging words with Gerard Pique, who had begun putting his arm around Antoine Griezmann.
Days later El Pais claimed Messi was then involved in a training ground bust-up with Ter Stegen.
They alleged that the pair generally have a good relationship while playing together, but that the current discontent in Catalonia appears to have spilled over.
Messi’s issues were made public after he was forced to respond to his sporting director Abidal’s claim that some players downed tools under former manager Ernesto Valverde.
The Frenchman alleged that a large section of the dressing room were under-performing towards the end of the Spaniard’s reign before he was sacked last month.
However, Messi, 32, hit back on Instagram to accuse his ex-teammate of tarnishing the players’ reputations and demand that the former defender take responsibility for his own decisions.
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu was then forced to call an urgent meeting with Abidal following the public bust-up.
Messi’s outburst is all the more significant because of a clause in his contract which enables him to terminate his deal at the end of any season.
A reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City has been mooted, but the reigning Premier League champions don’t expect him to quit Barca.
Local rivals United are reportedly another of the clubs discussed, but the Red Devils are struggling to even secure Champions League football.
While potential switches to join Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain, or with long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus are also options.
Messi was reportedly involved in a training ground bust-up with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter StegenCredit: EPA
Could Lionel Messi be heading to the Premier League? Manchester United have been linked with the Argentine star, after he was involved in a row with Barca sporting director Eric Abidal
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
