Karim Benzema's Reaction To Lionel Messi's Bombshell Barcelona Exit Is Priceless

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema wasted no time in putting forward his verdict on the bombshell announcement that Lionel Messi would be leaving Barcelona.

Messi, 34, will exit the Camp Nou this summer after Barcelona were unable to renew his contract due to La Liga's financial rules.

The Barcelona legend, who has been a free agent since July, has now been heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain amid uncertainty surrounding his future.

Benzema, who has battled it out with Messi in heated El Clasico matches, appeared to react to the news with a hilarious post on his Instagram Stories.

Eagle-eyed fans spotted that the 33-year-old Frenchman posted an image from Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed Goodfellas.

The scene features a young Henry Hill running away from an explosion that he caused while working for caporegime Paulie Cicero.

Read More:

• Crestfallen Lionel Messi 'emotionally destroyed' by Barcelona's failure to fulfil new contract

Barcelona announced on Thursday that plans for Messi to sign a new Barcelona contract were scuppered due to La Liga's regulation on player registration.

"Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of Spanish La Liga regulations on player registration," reads the club's statement.

"As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.

"FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life."

Messi was also linked with a move to Manchester City this summer, but a reunion with former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola could be off the table.

The Premier League champions smashed the British transfer record to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100m.

City are also targeting a big-money move for wantaway Tottenham striker Harry Kane, who has been linked with a sensational £160m transfer to the Etihad.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Spain, Real Madrid, La Liga

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

@AdnanRiaz9