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Stoichkov: Messi set to leave Barca through the back door

Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov has suggested Lionel Messi could be set to leave the Nou Camp "through the back door", with Chelsea and Manchester City named as potential destinations in the Madrid media.

Messi was left out of the starting line-up for Barcelona's 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad on Sunday and fuelled speculation surrounding his future at the club after missing an open training session the following day.

While Barca claimed Messi had missed the session due to gastroenteritis, it was widely reported in the Catalan press that he had twice rowed with coach Luis Enrique since returning from his winter break in Argentina.

Despite signing a new long-term contract just last summer, Messi has not always seemed content at through recent times. Just last November he hinted that he would decide on his future at the end of the current campaign.

He followed Chelsea's official Instagram account on Monday, as well as those of Blues players' Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis. It was also noted that the 99 accounts followed by the Argentine also include just two other clubs - his current side and Manchester City, who have also been previously linked with a big money move for the four time Ballon D'Or winner.

Speaking on radio show Al Primer Toque, former Barca attacker Stoichkov claimed the club's poor treatment of its superstar was to blame for current events, saying the Catalan outfit had regularly been unable to handle big name non-Catalan players.

"They have not known how to look after Messi," Stoichkov said. "Tell me any foreign player who has not ended up leaving Barca through the back door."

The ex-Bulgaria international said neither Messi nor Neymar, who was also allowed to return late from their winter break and not start against Sociedad, were to blame for the defeat.

"Messi and Neymar are not the guilty parties, but those who gave them holidays," Stoichkov said. "All players should be treated equally. If you give two days extra holidays, then play them and they get injured, that's a disaster."

The Messi speculation is unfolding amid a situation of institutional chaos at the club, with sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta having been sacked after criticising club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. His assistant and recently retired defender Carles Puyol then apparently resigned in sympathy.

"For me Bartomeu is not a president, he is a civil servant," Stoichkov said. "He was parachuted into the job because a coward [predecessor as president Sandro Rosell] left. The only thing he understands is basketball, he knows little about football."

Messi had tried to play down the situation by releasing a statement on Facebook apologising to those children who had attended the open session that he missed on Monday.

"I would have liked to be at the Christmas training session," the statement said. "I never miss it, but these setbacks cannot be controlled. I hope the dreams of every child come true."

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