It Was a Harsh Drama: When I Told My Wife and Kids I Wanted to Leave, They Cried. Messi

Lionel Messi shared in an exclusive interview with Goal.com the feelings of his family when they learned about his desire to leave Barcelona, and why he ultimately decided to stay with the club.

“It was a harsh drama when I told my wife and children that I wanted to leave. They cried. My kids do not want to leave Barcelona, nor change their school. I was looking far into the future. I want to win titles, to win the Champions League again. The reality is that for a long time there has been no project or something concrete. The management is just covering up the holes. I thought I could leave whenever I wanted; I was always reassured about that. Now they are citing that I could have left by June 10, but on June 10, we were playing La Liga games during the pandemic, a pandemic that shook the whole world. I will continue to play because the president said that the only option to leave is paying the release clause, which is set at 700 million euros. That is impossible. That’s why I will continue to play,” Messi told Goal.