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Messi a problem for Barcelona and Juve ahead of Champions League clash

Messi a problem for Barcelona and Juve ahead of Champions League clash

  • Kaustubh Pandey
Lionel Messi and his contractual situation is increasingly becoming a problem for Catalan giants Barcelona, as he and his side switch their attention to facing Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League.

Ahead of the game between the two sides, Ernesto Valverde was joined by Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic for the pre-game press conference, in which half of the questions asked were either about Messi’s situation or about the game.

When the Messi question was posed to Rakitic, the Croatian replied:"I still want to play with him, I trust the president and the leaders even though everyone has their own ideas and we have to respect them. We do not have to think about this, the only thing that counts is the game against Juve tomorrow."

Messi’s contract at Barcelona expires at the end of the current season and the leadership at the club is being blamed for not tying the Argentine down to a new contract already.

If the La Masia graduate doesn’t pen a new deal by the end of December, he will be open to hold talks with any club regarding a pre-contract agreement, which could lead to him joining the club for free next summer.

While the decision isn’t weighing on Messi’s mind too much, it can be a problem for the club and the players as time wears on.