Spain

BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi ended speculation about his future at Barcelona by announcing on Friday that he would reluctantly stay for another season rather than tackle his career-long club in court.

A week after saying he wanted to leave the Liga side, and with a contract row still raging, the 33-year-old six-time player of the year gave the news Barca fans were hoping for.

In doing so, however, the Argentine forward took a big swipe at the club's hierarchy.

 WORLD EXCLUSIVE 

Gareth Bale will consider a return to the Premier League if his current club Real Madrid allow him to end his stint in Spain, the Wales international has said.

The 31-year-old was on the verge of leaving for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning last year before the deal fell through and he barely featured for Real in their run to the LaLiga title when the campaign resumed after the COVID-19 stoppage.

Despite winning four Champions League titles with Real, Bale has divided opinion in Spain because of a perceived lack of commitment and poor injury record.

BARCELONA — Lionel Messi's father and agent met Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu on Wednesday to discuss the player's wish to leave the club but the talks ended in stalemate, Spanish media reported.

Earlier, Jorge Messi said it would be "difficult" for his son to remain with Barcelona, the only club he has ever played for professionally.

In the wake of Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu spoke of “a disaster” that necessitated “some decisions” because “this isn’t the Barça that we believe in.”

Israeli international forward Shon Weissman has completed a move to LaLiga's Real Valladolid from Austria's Wolfsberger AC.

Weissman moves to Valladolid, the club majority-owned by Brazilian legend Ronaldo, on a contract until 2024. Manager Sergio Gonzalez's side was in need of a striker after the loan deals of forwards Enes Ünal and Sandro Ramirez expired. Weissman, 24, had moved to Austria from Israeli side Maccabi Haifa last summer. Valladolid broke its transfer record to sign Weissman on a $4.7 million deal as a result of his prolific lone season in Austria.

LaLiga on Sunday released a statement saying Lionel Messi's Barcelona contract was still valid, days after his shock announcement that he wants to leave the club and hours after he failed to attend a pre-season medical.

Messi's failure to show for his medical underlined the 33-year-old's determination to leave the club he has been with throughout his career.

MADRID — Lionel Messi will not take a planned preseason coronavirus test on Sunday or return to training on Monday after his shock announcement earlier this week that he wants to leave Barcelona, Spanish media reported on Saturday.

Spanish sports paper Marca said Messi was "going to war" with his lifelong club by making the decision.

La Vanguardia reported Messi will send another burofax, the method by which he told the club he wanted to leave, to inform them of his decision not to join his teammates for the first training session under new coach Ronald Koeman.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp says he would be interested in adding Barcelona captain Lionel Messi to his Premier League-winning squad but there is no chance it would happen because of the astronomical amount of money involved.

Messi stunned world soccer earlier this week when he expressed his desire to leave Barcelona after nearly two decades with the Catalan club.

BARCELONA — Angry Barcelona fans chanted for the resignation of club president Josep Maria Bartomeu after captain Lionel Messi announced on Tuesday that he wished to leave the Catalan side.

"We love you, Messi stay, Messi stay!" and "Bartomeu resign!" chanted several hundred fans outside Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium on Tuesday night.