Lionel Messi Hurt by Barca President's Comments About Playing for Free
Lionel Messi is yet to score in the domestic league for his new club PSG.
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Superstar forward Lionel Messi is displeased with Barcelona President Joan Laporta for suggesting he could have played for free. Messi, now at PSG, though noted that he had agreed to take a hefty pay cut in order to stay back at Nou Camp.
Messi had accepted a 50% hair cut on his pay but Barca were still unable to register him due to their financial problems.
"The truth is, as I explained when I left, I did everything possible to stay," Messi told SPORT in an interview published on Monday.
"Never at any moment did they ask me to play for free. They asked me to reduce my salary by 50% and I did it without any problem. We were willing to help the club more. My desire and that of my family was to stay in Barcelona.
"No one asked me to play for free, but at the same time the president's words were inappropriate. It hurt because I don't think there was any need to say that.
"It's like taking the ball from you and not accepting the responsibility or taking charge of things. That makes people think and generates doubts that I don't think I deserve."
His gross annual salary, after loyalty bonuses and signing-on fees, was around €70m.
However, despite the problems with the club in the last couple of years, Messi reiterated that he loves the club and would love to go back some day.
"I don't know if I will [go back] when my contract expires in Paris," he added. "But what is almost certain is that we're going to return to live in Barcelona and our life will be there.
"I have always said that I would love to help the club and be useful. I would love to be a sporting director at some point. I don't know if it will be in Barcelona or not. Or if it will be something else.
"If there's the chance, I would like to go back and contribute what I can because it's the club I love and I would love them to keep doing well, growing and being one of the best in the world."
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