Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that certain individuals at Camp Nou are conspiring to force Lionel Messi out of the club.
The 29-year-old is believed to have agreed a new five-year deal to stay at Barca, but he is yet to sign any papers and the club have so far failed to make an announcement.
Laporta also believes that current president Josep Bartomeu's failure to stand by Messi during his tax trial is a sign of the club trying to unsettle the Argentine.
The 54-year-old told Catalunya Radio: "There are certain powers who want Messi to no longer be a Barca player.
"The club has let the player down, the best player in history, the best player in the world. We have a president and board that didn't accompany him when he had to testify in court."
Messi has been at Barca since 2001, joining the Blaugrana as a youth player.
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
