Lionel Messi opens up on 'Barcagate' crisis; Barcelona showdown continues

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has opened up on the issues surrounding the club. Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu was recently accused of hiring a Public Relations (PR) firm to demean club superstars, now known as ‘Barcagate’. The defending LaLiga champions have been involved in a wave of controversies with a spat between Messi and club sporting director Eric Abidal becoming the talk of the town.

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Lionel Messi speaks on Barcagate revelations

While speaking to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Lionel Messi claimed that he was shocked by the Barcagate revelations. He claimed that he was travelling when the matter was unearthed. He also asserted that the club president spoke to the team about the accusations.

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Did Barcelona hire a PR agency to demonise first-team players?

Lionel Messi asserted that the incident was strange, but he would still wait for further clarity in the near future. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu was accused of hiring a firm I3 Ventures to help affix his own image as president while also trying to demonise senior squad players, including the likes of Messi and Gerard Pique.

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Did Barcelona hire a PR agency? President denies allegations

However, soon after the revelations, Josep Maria Bartomeu rubbished the rumours through an official release on the club website. He acceded that one of the social media accounts did try to demean the players. However, he confirmed that the club had terminated the firm’s contract. However, Pique’s stand on the issue has been quite contrasting from that of Messi. The defender labelled a journalist as a "puppet" for protecting Bartomeu.

This is just another controversy in a series of controversies that have plagued Barcelona. A few days back, Lionel Messi and Eric Abidal were involved in a war of words when the latter criticised certain players of the first-team squad. There were also reports of Messi looking to secure an exit from the club as a free agent due to a special clause mentioned in his contract.

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