Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has played down suggestions that Lionel Messi could join him at the Etihad and believes the superstar will end his playing days at Barcelona.
Lionel Messi has spent his career with Barcelona but has a clause allowing him to leave for free this summer window.
Guardiola coached the 32-year-old at the Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012, winning three League titles and two Champions Leagues.
“He will stay there [at Barca], that’s my wish,” said the Man City boss.
Guardiola left Barca to join German side Bayern Munich having become their most successful manager, with 14 trophies in four years.
He went on to win three successive league titles in Germany and has won the Premier League for the last two years with City, although this season they trail Liverpool by 22 points with only 13 matches remaining.
Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or award six times, 10 league titles and four Champions Leagues, is under a deal at Barca until 2021.
But he spoke out this week against Barca sporting director Eric Abidal after the Frenchman accused players of not working hard enough under former manager Ernesto Valverde.
Barca are three points behind league leaders Real Madrid in Spain but Guardiola would not be drawn on the apparent unrest between the Argentine and Abidal – both former players of his – saying: “I’m not going to talk about players for other clubs.
“I think he will finish his career there.”
