Barcelona plan new contract to ensure Lionel Messi finishes his career at the Camp Nou
The front page of Mundo Deportivo, a Spanish daily, claims that Barcelona are preparing a new bumper contract to keep Lionel Messi at Camp Nou till he retires. Speculation has been rising in recent seasons that Barcelona might be forced to sell one of their major players to reduce their wage bill.
However, according to reports, the Catalan club do not want Messi leaving them till he retires. Details of the deal are kept under wraps, however it’s clearly set to be lucrative even though Messi is approaching the 30-year-old mark.
Barcelona have been trying to tie down their stars to long-term contracts and talks of Messi’s contract being renewed comes at the back of deals also being discussed for Luis Suarez, Neymar, Rakitic and Sergio Busquets.
Luis Enrique relishing Barcelona’s treble tilt
After setting a Spanish record 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is relishing the run-in to the end of the season with his side on course for a second successive La Liga, King's Cup and Champions League treble.
For Luis Enrique, all the hard work during the season had brought them to this point.
“Now is when the nicest part of the season starts, you are where you wanted from the beginning, fighting for titles,” Luis Enrique said after Thursday’s 5-1 away win over Rayo Vallecano.
“Then we must see what we achieve. For now, I’m pleased with how the season has progressed, all the work that has brought us here.
“(There is) attitude, intensity and finishing. When Barca manages to be like that you create danger from the first minute and it’s hard to stop them,” he told reporters.
Pepe praises Real Madrid team-mates
Real, who are at home to Celta Vigo on Saturday, have been troubled by injury and fitness woes but central defender Pepe was full of praise for the team’s commitment as they try to put the derby defeat behind them.
“We made a huge effort, the team worked very hard, from the goalkeeper to Borja Mayoral. We stood up, the fans demand work and that’s what we did ... sweat our shirts,” said the captain, who returned from a long injury absence at Levante on Wednesday where Real won 3-1.
Coach Zinedine Zidane has had a good response from a clutch of young players promoted from the junior ranks including striker Mayoral, who stood in for the injured Karim Benzema.