While disgruntled Barcelona fans staged a second day of protests after Lionel Messi formally submitted a transfer request, news of his desire to quit Camp Nou was greeted with excitement in his native Argentina at a possible reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. A prominent newspaper in Argentina reported that Messi has already decided on a move to the Premier League to link up with his former mentor Guardiola. <em>La Nacion</em> said Messi, 33, was planning to talk with Guardiola to help hasten a move to England. The growing number of reports linking him with Manchester City sat well with fans in Messi's homeland. "It seems to me this is the moment for him to abandon the comfort zone that he was in," Gustavo Lopez, a customs official walking in central Buenos Aires, told <em>Reuters</em>. "This is a challenge for him. "For me, he has to go to Manchester City with Kun [Sergio] Aguero and Pep Guardiola. I think he should do it, the time is right to try and see if he can play somewhere else because until now he has always done well where he was, so let’s now see if he can do it somewhere else." Messi <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/lionel-messi-hands-in-barcelona-transfer-request-1.1068386">rocked the football world on Tuesday</a> by informing the Catalan giants by burofax, which is in effect a recorded letter, that he wished to leave the club on a free transfer during this transfer window. <strong>____________________</strong> <strong>____________________</strong> Barcelona replied the same, telling Messi they want him to stay. A clause in his contract allows him to walk away for free so long as he communicates that decision. Barcelona believe the deadline for that clause to be applied has expired, as he had to inform them of his decision before the end of May. But, given the extraordinary circumstances of the 2019/20 season dealing with an unprecedented shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Messi’s camp, who argue that the extended campaign officially ended after Sunday's Champions League final, are set to argue that the deadline should be set on August 31. Barca believe the law is on their side, and have told the player any club wishing to negotiate <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/lionel-messi-contract-explainer-why-barcelona-say-clubs-must-meet-his-700m-buyout-clause-1.1068514">must first meet his €700 million (Dh3.039 billion) buyout clause</a>. City have emerged as favourites to sign the six-time Ballon d'Or winner who has won every major title with Barcelona, the club he has been on the books with since he was 13. Some of his career highlights at Barca came under the guidance of Guardiola, who is now City manager, and the prospect they might team up again is mouth-watering for Messi's compatriots. "There are always cycles [in life] and cycles come to an end and it is good that he goes down another path," said Facundo Silva, a 45-year old hairdresser. "As a Boca fan I’d like to see him play Boca but that’s impossible. I think that wherever Guardiola is he will do much better that now because Barcelona has practically come apart. I hope he does well at another club." Messi has long said he hopes to one day play at his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario but that appears unlikely for now. Barca fans staged a second day of protests outside Camp Nou, where the team plays its home games, demanding the resignation of club president Josep Maria Bartomeu whom they blame for the malaise surrounding the club. <strong>______________________</strong> <strong>______________________</strong> Messi was at loggerheads with the club board for much of the 2019/20 season. The club's record scorer of more than 630 goals believes he and the rest of the squad have been unfairly targeted for the club's disappointing campaign, including the sacking of two coaches – Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setien – a refusal to defer wages during the coronavirus pandemic, surrendering La Liga title to Real Madrid as well as a humiliating exit to eventual winners Bayern Munich in the Champions League. A meeting with new coach, Ronald Koeman, last week was said to be the last straw for Messi after the Dutchman told the player his club privileges – the Argentine has long been accused of holding too much power in the dressing room – were over. According to a report on football website <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/messi-break-silence-explain-barcelona-exit-decision/11r4rpmu5qc5x1sn82thoveeoc">Goal.com</a> Messi intends to give his version of events for in the coming days, with a desire on his part to send a message to the fans that remain fiercely loyal to him.
