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'Barcelona doesn't revolve around Messi'

Barcelona's president says they want Lionel Messi to stay and are relaxed about his future but the "whole life of the club does not revolve around him".

Josep Maria Bartomeu has brought forward presidential elections by a year to next summer in a bid to end the turmoil the Spanish club find themselves in.

Messi has reportedly fallen out with coach Luis Enrique, with speculation in local newspapers that the pair had a series of rows around Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad.

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"Lionel Messi has a contract, signed just months ago, an agreement until 2018," Bartomeu said. "So we are very relaxed. We are undertaking a deep rebuilding of the team around him."

However, Bartomeu refused to speculate on what Messi would do if another club match his €250 million (£196m) buyout clause, with Chelsea reportedly interested.

Messi even fuelled speculation of a possible move to Chelsea when he followed the Premier League club on Instagram earlier this week.

"I'm sure a lot of clubs would love to have Messi but he is our player," said Bartomeu.

"Watching him on the pitch this season you can see he is happy. Everyone in football knows that Barcelona does not want to sell Lionel Messi. Saying what would happen if a club pays his release clause would be to speculate. I will not do that."

No fallout with Messi, says Enrique

Luis Enrique is under pressure © Getty Images

• Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says there no problems in his relationship with either star player Lionel Messi or club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
• Reports have suggested that Messi and Enrique clashed both before and after he was benched for Sunday's 1-0 La Liga defeat at Real Sociedad. The Argentine then missed training on Monday morning with what was claimed to be a "tummy bug," and speculation followed that the four-time Ballon d'Or winner had told Bartomeu that if there is not a change of coach he will request a transfer.
• Other local media reckoned that Bartomeu had told Enrique that he could lose his job should Barca slip up against Elche in the Copa del Rey on Thursday night, or next Sunday at home to Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
• "I maintain communication with the president, but I have not received any ultimatum," Enrique said. "I never have during my career as coach. A coach's future always depends on results, that is normal. But I feel backed, by both the club and players. I will do my work with same intensity and professionalism as the first day."

Asked if he thought it was an issue that Messi's personal mood seemed to determine so much of what happened at the club, Bartomeu denied Barcelona had just one superstar.

"Messi is the best player in the world, and we have him here," he said. "We also have other stars, Neymar, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic ... Messi is the leader of the team, he has the trust of everyone, but the whole life of the club does not revolve around him."

Reports have suggested that Messi has threatened to leave Barcelona next summer should Enrique continue, but Bartomeu denied the apparent issue would cost his coach his job.

"Luis Enrique is working on the team, with the players," he said. "There is no doubt that he is the best person for the job he has. That is why we chose him. It will also help the team for there to be elections, and the tension to drop.

"I have had contact with Leo and Luis Enrique. Things are working and working well. These questions are for Luis Enrique and Messi. The dressing room is a sacred space, many things happen there, but they stay there."

As well as the speculation surrounding Messi and Enrique, this week has seen the firing of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, and the resignation of his assistant, club legend Carles Puyol.

This follows a turbulent 12 months at the Nou Camp, which has also seen former president Sandro Rosell resign due to the controversial signing of Brazil star Neymar, FIFA impose a 12-month transfer ban due to irregularities in signing youth players, and the previously all-conquering team fail to win any trophies.

"I wanted to complete the mandate until 2016, but over the last weeks the level of tension has not been right for the club," Bartomeu said of bringing presidential elections forward.

"The pressure did not fit the reality. We wanted to lower the tension, which does not correspond to the reality of the situation. This is a way to remove the tension, so that we can focus on the most important - the team, players, coaches, and support them as much as possible."

Lionel Messi reportedly rowed with Luis Enrique after Barcelona's defeat to Real Sociedad © Getty Images

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