It’s official now, insofar as anything is ever official in soccer. After 10 fevered days since news got out that Lionel Messi was attempting to opt out of the final season on his Barcelona contract, a move that exposed the deep rot within the club and quickly got acrimonious, he now says that he will in fact stay.
“I wasn’t happy and I wanted to leave,” Messi told Goal. “I have not been allowed this in any way and I will STAY at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute.