Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu makes Lionel Messi retirement admission

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu says they are already preparing for life without Lionel Messi, who edges closer to the twilight of his career. Messi has been at the Nou Camp since 2001, has scored 603 goals in 687 games in all competitions. Speaking to Reuters Bartomeu admitted the club are already making preparations for how to cope with Messi's retirement. “We think it is our obligation to work on the post-Messi era,” he said. “We are thinking about a post-Messi era because we are bringing in new players... We have to think about this changing era when Messi will give up playing football but, as president, I hope that he is going to be (have) very large years playing with us still.”

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