OFFICIAL : Messi signs new Barcelona deal

The Argentine put pen to paper on an improved contract on Monday after meeting president Josep Maria Bartomeu with his father at Camp Nou

Lionel Messi has signed a new and improved contract with Barcelona, the club have announced.

The Argentina international reached a provisional agreement over a new deal at the end of last week following months of speculation that he had reached an impasse over negotiations over fresh terms.

The 26-year-old released a statement earlier on Monday claiming he could be forced to consider his options should he no longer feel the "affection" of the club he joined as a youngster, though he maintained he was eager to continue his Camp Nou career.

And the Rosario-born star has now finally brought an end to his immediate future by putting pen-to-paper on a new and improved contract, though the club did not disclose the precise terms of the deal.

"FC Barcelona would like to announce that Leo Messi and the Club signed a revised contract this afternoon," a statement on the club's official website read.

"The signing took place in the presence of Leo Messi, his father Jorge Messi and the Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu, as well as the sporting vice-president Jordi Mestre and the Club CEO, Antoni Rossich.

"During the signing, which was made in the Presidential Box at the Camp Nou, Leo Messi repeatedly expressed his excitement about the new deal."

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Messi: I want to finish my career at Barcelona

Lionel Messi says he wants to finish his career at Barcelona after bursting back onto the goalscoring scene in his return from injury.

Messi scored twice in a 30-minute cameo as Barca won the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash with Getafe 4-0, with the Argentine making his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in early November.

Speculation has surfaced that Paris Saint-Germain could be prepared to make a sensational offer for the 26-year-old - who was recently embroiled in a row with Barca director Javier Faus - but Messi insists he wants to stay at Camp Nou until he retires.

"My idea is to stay here and finish my career at Barcelona," he said after the match on Wednesday.

Barca take on Atletico Madrid in a crucial Liga encounter on Saturday and Messi admits he is eager to feature against the Rojiblancos.

"If I can play against Atletico, I will. I'll talk with Tata and the doctors. I always think of the club, I have the same desire as always," he continued.

"I was desperate to come back. I'd been sidelined for too long.

"I felt good physically, I didn't feel any pain in the hamstring. I was very happy to be in my country. I worked well to get out of this. Now I'm looking forward to a great year."

Messi also revealed his pride at being named among the final three nominees for the 2013 Ballon d'Or as he prepares for the event in Zurich on Monday January 13.

"I'll go to the gala, as always. It's a pleasure to be among the best three, the result will be what it will be," he added.

"For me, the most important prizes are those of the team, but I always like these [individual awards]."

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Lionel Messi to be sold by Barcelona

Barcelona are preparing to sell Lionel Messi and believe they can achieve the full value of the multiple World Player of the Year’s quarter billion Euro buyout clause. The unprecedented transfer, which would more than double Gareth Bale's €100million switch to Real Madrid, is planned to be completed by mid-2015 once a sufficiently deep-pocketed buyer can be found.

The strategy is based on a pragmatic business calculation by Barca president Sandro Rosell, who has decided that the Catalan club's long-term interests would be best served by cashing in on Messi when his value is at a peak. The forward turns 27 during this summer's World Cup Finals and will have won every trophy available to him if Argentina triumph at the tournament.

Messi's status within the club has grown to a level that has caused internal problems with coaches and fellow players. Even the recently released authorized biography “Messi” includes a passage detailing an incident in which the forward refused to train for Pep Guardiola after the coach substituted him in a match.

Rosell is also conscious of the ballooning cost of employing Messi, who has been seeking a vastly improved new Camp Nou contract since Cristiano Ronaldo was rewarded with an after-tax salary of €21m a year by Real Madrid earlier this year. Though Messi's own terms were improved to around €14m net when he extended his contract until 2018 in February, his efforts to gain parity with Ronaldo have provoked a public conflict with Barca's hierarchy.

Last month Barcelona vice president Javier Faus dismissed questions about a further improvement. “I do not know why we have to renew again,” Faus said. “We do not have to improve a contract every six months.”

This brought an angry riposte from the injured Messi. "Mr. Faus is a person who knows nothing about football and he wants to run Barcelona as if it were a company, and it is not," Messi said. "Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in the world and deserves to be represented by the best managers as well. And apart from that, I remind you that neither I nor anyone in my circle has ever asked for either an increase or a contract renewal. And he knows that very well."

While Rosell sought to calm the situation last week by stating that he was open to discussing a new contract with Messi, he already has a succession plan in place having committed over €100m in acquisition costs and wages to signing Neymar. The sums spent on the 21-year-old Brazilian, much of which go directly to a company owned by his family, have been a source of tension not only with Messi's camp, but with other senior figures within the Barcelona squad.

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Falcao: Ronaldo better than Messi

Monaco striker Radamel Falcao believes that Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo is a better player than Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

The Colombia international is a huge admirer of both players, having played alongside them in La Liga for two years before leaving Atletico Madrid for Monaco during the summer.

However, as far as Falcao is concerned, the Portugal international is the slightly superior talent.

"Messi and Cristiano are the two most important players in the world today but, for me, Ronaldo is the best," the 27-year-old striker told El Tiempo.

Falcao only returned to the Monaco line-up just before the winter break after a spell on the sidelines with an injury that some reports suggested was merely a convenient way of covering up an alleged falling-out with coach Claudio Ranieri.

However, the former Porto forward insists that there was no truth in the rumours that he had been dropped and was trying to force through a move away from the Stade Louis II.

"I had a physical problem and it was not convenient to play," he stated. "It was risky. It was not a serious injury, but it could have turned into something worse."

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Tata Martino : Messi wont leave Barca

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino claims there is no way Lionel Messi will leave the club.

The Argentine star has become embroiled in a dispute with club vice-president Javier Faus after claiming in a radio interview that the Blaugrana director "doesn't understand football."

With speculation rife over whether the player will be offered a new and improved contract, his future at the club has been cast into some doubt, but Martino has made it clear he is not concerned by what he believes is a private discussion between the pair.

"It's not true," he told a press conference when asked whether Messi could be sold next summer.

"Personally I'm concerned with how the team plays. I'm not distracted by these issues which have no relation to football.

"I only want to sit in on footballing matters, to make sure the team plays better, that they win. It seems to me that, as coach of Barcelona, these are the most important things that should concern me.

"I cannot continue on it because I'm not well informed. I don't what the vice-president said, nor what Leo said, as these are specific discussions."

Messi is currently recovering from a hamstring injury in his native Argentina and Martino revealed he plans to visit the 26-year-old during the winter break to check on his progress first hand.

"It's not something that was planned but, for sure, he will be training in Rosario in the days after Christmas, and I will go to see one of these sessions," said Martino. "We are totally informed of his progress."

One player who has committed his future to the club is Andres Iniesta, who has reached an agreement to extend his contract at Camp Nou, and Martino admits the news is massive for the club.

"In the NBA they call players franchises; Iniesta is the same for us. He must be very happy to sign a renewal. We are all very happy."

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Messi hits out at Barcelona vice-president

Lionel Messi has hit out at Barcelona vice-president Javier Faus in the wake of the latter's comments that the Argentina international will not be offered an improved deal any time soon.

A number of recent reports suggested that the prolific attacker had requested a pay-rise which would make him the best-paid player in La Liga again, prompting Faus to stress that Barca have no intention to hand Messi a new deal hardly a year after his previous extension.

However, Messi has insisted that he never asked for a new deal and has hit out at Faus for his lack of football knowledge.

"Faus is a person who does not know anything about football," Messi told RAC1.

"He tries to run Barcelona like a business, but this is a football club. Barcelona are the best club in the world and should also have the best directors in the world.

"I have never asked for a new contract and neither has any of my representatives."

The 26-year-old also took the time to discuss recent allegations that his foundation is involved in a money laundering scandal and stressed that he has not done anything wrong.

"I haven't read anything myself, but my family has told me what's being said. I deeply regret these allegations because everything we earn with these games goes to charity."

Messi is currently recovering from a hamstring injury in Argentina.

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Messi: Berbatov to Barcelona is impossible

Barcelona striker Lionel Messi says it would be "impossible" for Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov to join the club.

Recent reports have speculated that the 32-year-old Bulgaria international could be on his way to Camp Nou as coach Gerardo Martino looks for cover following Messi's hamstring tear that is expected to keep him out for the next eight weeks.

However, the Argentine believes that although the attacker is a good player and has experience the move is unlikely to materialise.

"I haven’t heard the rumour that Berbatov is linked to Barcelona. In fact he is a good player, he has experience in a big team," Messi told TV7.

"It’s not my business to interfere with the club’s transfer decisions but I think it’s impossible for Dimitar to join Barcelona."

Berbatov, who is out of contract at the end of the season, would be a cheaper alternative to other names that have been linked with a switch to the Catalan club, such as Oscar Cardozo and Sergio Aguero.

The Fulham striker has one goal in 10 Premier League appearances this season.

Martino has said he has faith in current forwards Alexis Sanchez and Neymar, but he would like additional cover.

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Alexis: Messi is the same as always

Alexis Sanchez has defended the form of Lionel Messi, insisting the Barcelona star is "the same as always" despite his recent goal drought.

Messi scored just once throughout October and failed to find the net again on Friday as Barca battled to a 1-0 win over city rivals Espanyol.

But Alexis maintains the Argentina international is contributing a huge amount to the side.

"Leo is in the same form as always. He hasn't been scoring goals but he has provided assists and taking on players. We think he's the same as always, playing very well," he was quoted as saying by AS.

Alexis converted Neymar's pinpoint cross for the only goal of the game at Camp Nou on Friday, taking the 24-year-old's tally to seven goals in nine Liga matches.

And he admits he was relieved to break the deadlock against a spirited visiting defence.

"It was a very difficult game as it was tough and physical for us," the former Udinese attacker said.

"All of Espanyol's players sat back behind the ball, but I go home happy with my goal. I was in the right place at the right time.

"We won and go home relaxed after getting three crucial points."

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Cruyff : Neymar easier to defend than Messi

Barcelona icon Johan Cruyff believes that Neymar is easier to defend than Lionel Messi due to his height, but feels the Brazil international has made an encouraging start to his Camp Nou career.

Neymar, who joined the Blaugrana from Santos this summer, is slightly taller than his Argentine team-mate and Cruyff thinks the 21-year-old's stature makes things slightly harder for him.

"Neymar is easier to defend than Messi because of his height," Cruyff told Ara.

"Leo shields the ball with his body and defenders find it harder to get a grip on him because he is smaller.

"However, Neymar has made a good start to life at Barcelona and his quality should help him link up with Messi and Xavi.

"We will have to wait and see how things pan out."

Neymar has made 11 official appearances for Barcelona so far this term, scoring three goals in the process.

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Milito : Messi is the best player ever

Former Barcelona defender Gabriel Milito believes that Lionel Messi is the best player in the history of the game even if he never wins the World Cup with Argentina.

The 26-year-old, who recently stated that he dreams of winning Brazil 2014, has often been criticised for his relatively underwhelming performances with the national side, but Milito feels his compatriot doesn't need international success in order to be seen as the best ever.

"It doesn't seem right to me to claim that you have to win the World Cup in order to be regarded as the best ever," told Milito to the reporters .

"He just keeps on improving and outdoing himself year after year and that's why he is the best ever for me.

"I simply cannot imagine that there will ever be a player who can do what Leo has been doing on the pitch."

Messi has been in fine form in the opening weeks of the 2013-14 campaign, netting nine goals in six appearances for Barcelona.

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Messi targets another record

 Lionel Messi has targeted breaking Real Madrid icon Raul's Champions League goalscoring record but added that winning trophies remains his main objective.

The Argentina international netted a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-0 Champions League win over Ajax on Wednesday to take his tally to 62, leaving him just nine shy of Raul's haul of 71.

"The idea of overtaking Raul at the top of the all-time Champions League scoring charts is a fine challenge," Messi was quoted as saying on the official Uefa website.

"It is not essential, though. We, as a team, have other more important objectives. For example, to get as far as we are capable of in this competition. To try to win it again.

"Obviously I am pleased that my hat-trick makes it 62 Champions League goals but above that is the result and how our team played.

"Whether the right number of goals come for me this season or not is less important."

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Messi : My dream is winning World Cup

Argentina national player , Lionel Messi admited that his dream is winning World Cup with Argentina , the only Trophy he didn't won yet.

Argentina beat Paraguay 5-2 on Tuesday evening to seal qualification for next summer's big event.

"I dream of winning the World Cup. We all do in Argentina. But there is still a long way to go," Messi told reporters

He continiued - "We got what we wanted, but it was difficult to play here. The most important thing was to qualify as soon as possible.

We want to continue like this and we want to keep winning."

Messi played 83 times with Argentina scoring 37 goals.

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