Barcelona fans storm Camp Nou, call for Bartomeu to resign after Messi announces exit

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi shocked Barcelona fans and the rest of the football world on Tuesday when he announced his intention to leave the Camp Nou. The news of Messi leaving Barca comes in after their humbling 8-2 defeat in the Champions League quarter-final at the hands of eventual champions Bayern Munich. While the Catalan giants made swift changes including the appointment of Ronald Koeman as the new head coach, both Messi and Bartomeu have failed to see eye to eye on the club's sporting project, leading to the 33-year-old handing in a transfer request. 

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Messi leaving Barca: Barcelona fans call for Bartomeu's resignation following captain's transfer request 

With Messi leaving Barca, the Blaugrana supporters have been enraged and stormed to Camp Nou, Barcelona's home stadium, to voice their displeasure. Barcelona called for an emergency board meeting after receiving communication from Lionel Messi that he will attempt to break his contract with the club and become a free agent. Barcelona fans subsequently gathered outside the club offices in a bid to send a message of disapproval to those in the hierarchy at Camp Nou.

Barcelona fans chanted "Messi stay" and "Bartomeu resign" outside the club's home stadium, while the club hierarchy held the emergency meeting. Lionel Messi and Bartomeu have shared a stern relationship at the club over the past couple of seasons, and the Barcelona president's decision to pin the blame on the playing squad while phasing out senior players has not gone well with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Also Read: Luis Suarez, Carles Puyol Support Lionel Messi's Decison To Leave Barcelona

Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol and Lionel Messi's best friend Luis Suarez have both supported the 33-year-old's decision to walk away from Camp Nou. However, Messi leaving Barca is easier said than done, considering his contract and the gigantic wages he earns from his contract. The Argentine international's contract ends next season and has a whopping €700 million release clause while bagging more than €100m-a-year in wages and image rights. Messi could, however, leave the Catalan outfit on a free transfer, with a clause in his contract allowing him to break the deal. Barcelona argue that the clause expired on June 10, but Messi's camp believes it has been extended in line with the prolonged 2019-20 season.

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(Image Courtesy: Esports RAC1Twitter)