Lionel Messi’s Barcelona future: Man City boss Pep Guardiola discusses transfer

PEP GUARDIOLA says Lionel Messi could look to leave Barcelona before he ends his glittering career.

City are set to take on Barcelona in the Champions League and Guardiola has ramped up the mind games ahead of the mouthwatering tie.

If Messi was to ever leave the Nou Camp, his favoured choice would likely be the Etihad and a reunion with Guardiola.

Ahead of tomorrow night’s clash, Guardiola was quizzed over his pursuit of the Argentine superstar, saying: “If you’re talking about this summer, I never called Messi.

“In the case of Leo, I really wish him to play here [at Barca] and finish his career here. Play here for a long time.

“But maybe he will think, ‘Okay, I want to go play somewhere else’ because maybe he wants his kids to speak English or live a different experience, like many of us.

“Maybe it could happen, but if he decides to go and it happens, there would be a list of seven or eight clubs that would want to sign him, and it would be down to him. Messi will decide where to go.”

Messi netted twice to knock Guardiola’s Bayern Munich out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage two seasons ago.

And the City boss is wary of his former star once again.

“I don’t know what instructions I can give the players to control his talent,” Guardiola added.

“Ninety minutes is a long time. They will have a moment and they are so precise. They don’t need many chances to score. That’s the big talent of the strikers of Barcelona.

“It’s a good test for us to know how our level is against, for me, the best team.

“I need to know my team as quickly as possible and this is a good chance to find out.”