Messi to join Suarez at Atletico Madrid? Barcelona star urged to 'come home for Christmas'

Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi has been invited to play alongside good friend Luis Suarez at Atletico Madrid by Rojiblancos president, Enrique Cerezo. Suarez joined Atletico Madrid last week after he was unceremoniously dumped by the Catalans after spending six seasons at the Camp Nou, leaving as the club's third-highest goalscorer of all time. Only last month, Lionel Messi was forced to stay at Barcelona despite handing in his transfer request, and Atletico Madrid chief Enrique Cerezo has claimed that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner would be 'welcome' at the Wanda Metropolitano. 

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Lionel Messi to Atletico Madrid? Rojiblancos chief suggests Messi should reunite with Suarez

While speaking to Cadena Cope, Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo audaciously suggested that Lionel Messi would be welcome at the Wanda Metropolitano. The 72-year-old said: "If you want something, you should make it happen. If Lionel Messi wants to play with Luis Suarez, I'd tell him the same thing that is said with nougat: 'Let him come home for Christmas' because anything is possible in football." Messi will be free to negotiate with other clubs in January if he doesn't extend his deal with Barcelona. 

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Barcelona transfer news: Lionel Messi unhappy with Barcelona's decision to allow Suarez to leave

Cerezo's comments on Messi come after the Argentine posted a heartfelt message for Suarez on Instagram. The 33-year-old Argentine went on to slam the Barcelona board for their decision to sell Suarez despite the Uruguayan scoring a total of 198 goals in six years at the Camp Nou. Following Suarez's €6 million transfer to Atletico Madrid, the star forward scored twice on his debut in just 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 6-1 win over Granada on Sunday.

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Messi himself handed in a transfer request last month but was forced to stay put at Barcelona due to his whopping €700m release clause. Man City showed a keen interest in signing Lionel Messi but the star forward eventually settled the transfer rumours when he spoke about honouring his contract with Barcelona, which is set to expire next summer. In an interview with Goal, Messi slammed Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu for "not staying true to his word" but insisted that he didn't want to take the club he adored to court over legal proceedings. 

Despite the chaos at Barcelona, Enrique Cerezo praised Bartomeu for making a bold decision to sell Suarez. "We had no problems with signing Luis Suarez. Barcelona are not in a good moment right now but Bartomeu is a great president," he said.

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Image Credits - Luis Suarez, Leo Messi Instagram