TB Joshua to Messi: Don’t leave Barcelona ‘bitter and offended’

Temitope Balogun Joshua, the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), has advised Lionel Messi against leaving Barcelona “bitter and offended”.

The Argentine captain, who has played for Barca for almost 20 years, recently informed the club that he wants to leave.

The 33-year-old also desires to link up again with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City for free.

Josep Maria Bartomeu, the club’s president, however, insisted that the only negotiation with the player will be about him extending his current contract.

Reacting to the development on Wednesday, the cleric, in a tweet via SCOAN’s official Twitter page, urged Messi not to leave the Blaugrana “bitter and offended”.

“It is not good advice for Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona bitter and offended. It is impossible to establish a healthy relationship with a person who left a previous relationship bitter and offended. This is my candid advice to Messi. History is our boss,” Joshua wrote.

Messi’s camp believe a clause in the player’s contract enables him to leave the Catalan club for nothing.

Jorge Messi, the player’s father, who arrived Barcelona on Wednesday morning, wants to broker a compromise that will allow Messi leave the club.

Both parties also want to avoid court case — as no club can afford the £630 million buy-out clause in Messi’s current deal.

Messi had recently refused to attend pre-season medical after his legal team warned that reporting for duty would undermine his argument that he is now a free agent.