Lionel Messi looks set to stay at Barcelona as talks continue over a new two-year contract.
The Argentina forward and Barca captain has only five days remaining on his current deal, and is locked in negotiation about several key aspects of new terms.
Messi is currently with the Argentina squad at the Copa America as his father and agent Jorge Messi tries to finalise the contract.
It will be a relief to Barca fans when Messi does sign the new deal. A year ago he handed in a transfer request, believing he had an agreement that allowed him to leave for free, and at one stage it looked as though a move to Manchester City was imminent.
However, then Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu said they would hold him to a €700m release clause and eventually Messi backed down and said he would stay.
Barca won the Copa del Rey last season, but were knocked out of Champions League by Paris Saint Germain at the last 16 stage and finished third in La Liga.
Messi, who turned 34 this week, is keen that Barcelona strengthen in order to compete for more trophies next season, and is thought to be happier with the signing of Sergio Aguero from Manchester City and assurances from returning president Joan Laporta.
The Argentine has enjoyed a remarkable career with the Spanish giants, breaking appearance and goalscoring records as he has amassed a huge haul of trophies. His stats, goals, and silverware can be sees season by season in the picture gallery above. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe if on a mobile device.
The%20specs
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20profile
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
