Messi reveals it was crazy to let Luis Suarez leave for free to direct rival

The Argentine says Suarez's transfer to Atletico didn't influence his decision to leave.

But Messi says he didn't like the way his friend's departure was handled.

"I had decided to leave before that but the Luis Suarez thing seemed crazy to me, how they did, how he left," Leo Messi told La Sexta, as quoted by Diario Sport.

The Argentine added: "I felt it was crazy the way his exit was handled and that Barcelona let him go to a direct rival. He went for free, paying his contract up - and to a team that's fighting for the same things as us!"

Suarez has scored 7 goals and provided 1 assist in 14 games for Atletico Madrid this season. Before that, he spent 6 years at Barca, netting 195 goals in 283 matches.