Samuel Eto’o Reacts To Lionel Messi Potentially Leaving Barcelona This Summer

Football legend Samuel Eto'o believes that Barcelona should change their name if Lionel Messi makes a shock exit from the Camp Nou this summer.

Messi's future at the Spanish club has been plunged into serious doubt after Barca's lacklustre season.

The Argentine superstar had a heated public fallout with Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal over comments made around the sacking of ex-Barca boss Ernesto Valverde.

And Messi, 33, recently endured humiliation alongside his teammates as Bayern Munich destroyed Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Barcelona captain, whose contract expires next summer, has reportedly demanded that the club allows him to leave in the summer.

Eto'o, 39, played alongside Messi after the Argentine burst onto the scene at the Camp Nou in the mid-2000s.

However, the former Inter Milan and Barcelona star urged his former employers they must do "everything possible to ensure he finishes his career at Barcelona."

Eto'o told Argentine TV channel TyC Sports: "I love Messi like he was my own son, I want the best for him.

"Barcelona is Messi and I think if Messi decides to leave, we'll have to change the name of the club.

"We are lucky in that at Barcelona, we have the best player in the world and of all time, we have to do everything possible to ensure he finishes his career at Barcelona."

Messi has already been linked with a reunion with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Eto'o added that he felt the same heartbreak as Barcelona players in their embarrassing Champions League exit, but he's backing the club to bounce back next season.

"I really suffered myself with that defeat, not just for Leo, but for all of the lads," the ex-Cameroon international said.

"Someone who has never played the game will find it hard to understand, but these things exist in football -- and in life too.

"Anyone can suffer a fall but you have to get up again and that is the most difficult part. The players, the bosses, the fans...

"I hope that we can lift ourselves up from this and begin to dream again for next season."

Featured Image Credit: PA/beIN Sports

Topics: Football News, Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, La Liga, Barca

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]

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