End of an era: Barcelona says Messi won’t stay with the club
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona say Lionel Messi will not stay with the club. Barcelona said in a statement that a deal between the club and the player had been reached but financial “obstacles” made it impossible for the player to remain with the club. It blamed “Spanish league regulations” for not allowing the club to sign a new contract with the player. His previous one had ended on June 30. He is leaving after 17 successful seasons in which he propelled the Catalan club to glory. He helped it win numerous domestic and international titles since debuting as a teenager.