Skip to content

Jose Mourinho: Lionel Messi will stay at Barcelona for rest of career

Lionel Messi warms up during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Manchester City and Barcelona
Image: Lionel Messi: Made public statement on Barca future last month

Lionel Messi will end his career at Barcelona, Jose Mourinho believes.

Chelsea were among the clubs linked with a move for Messi when his relationship with Barca boss Luis Enrique was under the spotlight around the turn of the year.

La Liga Football

At the time Mourinho said UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations would scupper any move for the four-time Ballon d'Or winner, and Messi later made a point of reaffirming his commitment to Barca.

And the Chelsea boss has now told La Gazzetta dello Sport's new television channel he expects to see the Argentine in a Barca shirt until the day he retires.

"I have the feeling that Messi will always be at Barcelona," he said. "I may be wrong and nobody knows what will happen in the future.

"My feeling is that a player of his dimension and significance for a club like Barca, I do not see Barcelona opening the door for Messi to go.

"I do not see Messi playing with another shirt which is not Barcelona’s. I may be wrong, but this is my feeling."

More from Transfer Headlines

Watch delayed coverage of Barcelona's trip to Granada on Sky Sports 5 from 5.15pm.

Around Sky