Barcelona Chief Shares Thoughts on Messi's Future After Defeat to Real Madrid

Barcelona's chief could not say with certainty whether Lionel Messi will take part in any more El Clasico games against Barca’s stunning rival Real Madrid after the 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

Guillermo Amor, the team’s institutional and sporting relations director, simply told Spain’s Movistar magazine that he “hopes” the 10 April bout was not the last competition for fans to watch.

"We hope not," Amor said. "We hope he decides to stay at Barcelona and plays many more Clasicos with Barcelona."

On Saturday, Barcelona lost to Real Madrid after Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos brought their team to the top of La Liga with two goals. Barca responded with one ball from Oscar Mingueza but 33-year-old Messi has stayed out of work, which many football watchers found quite disappointing.

His team is still up for this season’s trophies but many are more worried that Messi will never pull a new El Clasico again if he doesn’t agree to renew his contract, which expires just in three months.

Analysts claim that Barcelona could offer the forward a lifelong salary to secure his commitment to the club, which he tried to leave last summer. Messi had remained with the team due to timing and bureaucratic issues at the time – but this summer nothing will stop him from actually departing Camp Nou for good. Will he stay on and continue to participate in the endless Barca-Real Madrid rivalry? It’s up to Leo now.