Kolkata: Spanish giant Barcelona has introduced new contracts to its footballers, which according to sources has been rejected by five-time Ballon D’or winner Lionel Andrés Messi. But sources claim that Messi and Luis Suarez will be given a new set of contracts. While this controversy takes its shape, soccer star Carlos Tevez’s comment on Messi’s contract gave a sign of relief to Messi fans worldwide. Tevez was quoted by goal.com saying that he was confident that Messi would stay on in the club, adding that that Newell’s Old Boy was the only team that could lure Messi away from Camp Nou.
There have been speculations over Messi whether he will stick to his old club or change loyalties. Messi has always been expressive in his love for Newell’s as evident from his personal interviews. On March 21 1994, Lionel Andrés Messi, ID number 992312, became a member of Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys. The greatest source of satisfaction for Messi in Newell’s was winning the trophy at Cantolao International tournament held in Lima, Peru in 1996. It was this tournament that pushed Messi into the limelight grabbing the attention of the media.
Ernesto Vecchio, Messi’s second coach at Newell’s recalls, “He was something special.”
In 2000, the tenth league was the last that 13-year-old Leo played with ’87 Machine, under the coaching of Adrian Coria. They won the match at the Bella Vista grounds. On September 3, just two weeks before Messi’s departure for Barcelona, La Capital published his first ever interview honouring him with the tag, “Lionel Andrés Messi, a little leper who’s a real handful.” Messi, when asked about his favourite football team in the interview, answered, “Newell’s.”
Football fans worldwide are eagerly waiting for Messi to extend his contract with FC Barcelona. Sources add that Barcelona’s new contract for Messi will make him the highest paid footballer in Europe.
