Barcelona legend Rivaldo urges Argentine icon to QUIT the Nou Camp and reunite with Pep Guardiola

‘Manchester City could be Messi’s best option’: Barcelona legend Rivaldo urges Argentine icon to QUIT the Nou Camp and reunite with Pep Guardiola in the Premier League

  • Rivaldo believes that Manchester City could be the best option for Lionel Messi 
  • Barcelona legend Rivaldo says Messi would relish reuniting with Pep Guardiola 
  • Rivaldo is sad to see the stand-off between Messi and the Barcelona hierarchy 

Former Barcelona star Rivaldo believes that Manchester City could be the best option for Lionel Messi.

Messi has informed Barcelona that he wants to leave the club and Rivaldo believes that the Argentina star would relish the chance to reunite with his former manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, with Messi producing some incredible performances under his guidance as the Catalan club won an array of trophies. 

Rivaldo believes Lionel Messi’s best option could be to reunite with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City

Rivaldo believes that Guardiola would be able to get the best out of Messi immediately if he came to England. 

As reported by The Mirror, Rivaldo said: ‘Manchester City could be Messi’s best option as his next club. He’s 33 but his quality and talent are both unquestionable and I think he still has a few more years at the top. He could quickly start shining in England.

‘Guardiola has deep knowledge of Messi’s abilities and would find a solution to quickly incorporate him into the team and get the best from him.

Former Barcelona star Rivaldo believes that Guardiola would instantly get the best out of Messi

Former Barcelona star Rivaldo believes that Guardiola would instantly get the best out of Messi

‘I even imagine Guardiola building the rest of his team around Messi. His talent can make the difference at any place and at any time, and I’m sure he could produce match-winning performances in the Premier League.’ 

Messi belives that he is free to leave because of a clause in his contract but Barcelona state the clause expired in June. The La Liga side say that any club looking to buy Messi would have to pay his release clause of £630million.

Rivaldo, who played for Barcelona between 1997 and 2002, is sad to see such a situation occur and hopes that there will be a resolution soon. 

Rivaldo is sad to see the breakdown in relations between Messi and the Barcelona hierarchy

Rivaldo is sad to see the breakdown in relations between Messi and the Barcelona hierarchy

He said: ‘It is sad to see Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s greatest ever player, trying to use a contract release clause to leave the club, but we must hear both sides of the story and try to understand what’s really happening.

‘Barcelona don’t want to lose their best player for nothing, so they’ll try to convince the player to stay or agree to let him leave if they receive a good offer from another club.’ 

Messi was left hugely frustrated after Barcelona’s failure to win a trophy this season, with his misery compounded by the humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. 

Although his entire senior career to date has been spent at Barcelona, he could well end it elsewhere. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk