Pere Riera: I wouldn't pull out all the stops for Messi

After a vote of no confidence against his leadership, Josep Maria Bartomeu left

last week along with everybody else in the board of directors. It has been reported that the club’s presidential election will take place in the second week of January. One of the men who have declared his candidacy for the upcoming election is Pere Riera who wants to change the club’s attitude toward players and the transfer market. Messi’s future at Barca is still one of the most important subjects at the Catalan club and therefore Riera was asked in a recent interview with Marca about his take on this massive issue.

"In my opinion, Messi has to stay at Barcelona and not with history. It's not good for anyone.

"In the end, it's Messi who decides [his future]. I very much doubt that Messi wanted to leave Barcelona [in the summer].

"I wouldn't pull out all the stops for Messi."

Messi is not in his best form for Barca as he has gone through 877 minutes without scoring a goal in open play. It was in the last season’s Champions League game against Napoli that Messi scored his last open play goal for the team. As Barca equaled their worst start of a LaLiga season after six games with a 1-1 draw against Alaves, the future of the Argentinian superstar still remains in uncertainty whether he still wants to leave the club or he would start the contract- extension negotiations with the club’s new president.