Barcelona presidential candidate Freixa label club 'Disaster' over Messi debacle

Toni Freixa explains that Leo wants maximum success, something he cannot achieve at Barca anymore.

He singles out Bartomeu as one of those responsible for the captain's apparent desire to leave.

"Messi is a player who longs for maximum success. He alone cannot achieve maximum success, he needs a team to do it. He doesn’t have that," Barcelona presidential candidate Toni Freixa told Goal.

"That worries him. His decision is due to the negative sporting development in recent years.

Freixa also explained who could be to blame: "Bartomeu is certainly complicit in the situation because a president also has the task of building a close relationship with the most important pillars of the team.

"Be it to the coach, be it to the captains. He has not succeeded in doing this over the years. He couldn’t prevent Messi from seeing a change of club as the only alternative for himself.

He concluded: "This is a disaster. However, there is never a single culprit."

As things stand at the moment, the Argentine is refusing to train with the rest of the squad as he considers that he has terminated his contract with Barca.

As for Josep Maria Bartomeu, the president wants to keep the player at the club and will reportedly offer Leo a new contract.