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Barcelona have come under intense scrutiny after Lionel Messi's contract was leaked yesterday.
Barcelona did not end up doing much business in the January transfer window. On the field, they registered a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao last night thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann.
There's a lot going on at the club right now as we take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 1 February 2021.
Ronald Koeman fumes at Lionel Messi's contract leak
Lionel Messi's contract leak has taken the world by storm and it is the talk of the town right now. After registering a win over Spanish Super Cup winners Athletic Bilbao last night, Barcelona climbed to second on the La Liga table.
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After the game, Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman was quizzed about his thoughts on the leak and he was absolutely fuming.
Koeman said (via Sport):
“What came out in the press today was with malicious intent and wanting to do damage to a player that has done so much for Spanish football and for this club,” he said. We have to try and find out how Messi’s contract’s come out in the press. They are things that cannot come out. There are people that want to do us damage.
“If the leak is from within the club, that’s very bad. We have to help the players, the coaches to win games. If someone from inside the club has leaked it, they cannot have a future at the club.
“I don’t understand why they say he’s ruined Barca ... He’s spent years and years showing his quality as a footballer. We have to highlight what he’s done for this club. He’s helped make this club great and we have to stop with all this contract nonsense.
Josep Maria Bartomeu denies having anything to do with Messi's contract leak
The much-maligned former president of Barcelona football club, Josep Maria Bartomeu, revealed in an interview with TV3’s Gol a gol that he had nothing to do with Lionel Messi's contract details being leaked by El Mundo.
Bartomeu was in charge when Lionel Messi signed the controversial contract which sees the Argentine earn a mammoth amount of money. Bartomeu said:
“It’s totally false that I leaked Messi’s contract. Leo deserves what he earns both sportingly and commercially. Without the pandemic, Barça can pay these figures perfectly fine,”
Georginio Wijnaldum opens up on Liverpool contract amid Barcelona links
Gini Wijnaldum has been linked with Barcelona for a fair amount of time now. Ronald Koeman is keen on roping in his compatriot who is currently in the final months of his contract at Liverpool. The Merseysiders are yet to reach an agreement with Wijnaldum over a new contract.
Speaking to Sky Sport, Wijnaldum offered an update on his contract situation. He has confirmed that though he would like to stay on at Liverpool, there is no update on his situation which means that he is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.
Gini said:
"There is no update yet. I also think I’m not the one who should give the update. The club should do that. So if there is an update, the club will give it."
When asked about Jurgen Klopp's recent comments about his wanting the 30-year-old to kick on at the club, he had said,
"Of course it says a lot, that the manager has faith in you,"
