Messi to Leave Barcelona Due to ‘Financial Obstacles’: Club Statement

Messi to Leave Barcelona Due to ‘Financial Obstacles’: Club Statement
Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on May 16, 2021. Albert Gea/Reuters
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MADRID—Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal.

Messi, who joined Barca’s youth set-up aged 13, is the club’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games in all competitions.