Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - August 26, 2020 A statue of Johan Cruyff is seen infront of an image of Lionel Messi outside the Camp Nou after captain Lionel Messi told Barcelona he wishes to leave the club immediately, a source confirmed on Tuesday REUTERS/Nacho Doce
(Reuters) - When Barcelona confirmed they had received a request from Lionel Messi's lawyers informing them he wanted to terminate one of soccer's longest-standing relationships, the owners of Europe's biggest clubs would have raised a collective eyebrow.
It was akin to the Mona Lisa suddenly becoming available on the art market, such is Messi's status in the game despite the fact that he is 33 and the magic might soon begin to fade.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
