Former FC Barcelona and current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed that Lionel Messi made the Catalan club much bigger than it was.
The 52-year-old managed his former team Barcelona for four years where he won a record 14 trophies including the famous sextuple in the year 2009.
Pep recently gave an interview to ESPN where he opened up about Messi's time at Barca.
"Messi made Barça much bigger than it was when he came in," said the 52-year-old Spaniard.
He also wished that Messi gets the farewell he deserves as the Argentine spent 18 years at the Spanish club.
“I hope one day we can say goodbye to Messi with Barcelona as he deserves, he is the best player in history,” he said.
He also said that he is certain that Messi wants to return to his former club and Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta will also try his best to bring the Argentinian back.
“I’m sure Messi will try his best to return to Barcelona, and Laporta will also work to make it happen," he said.
“I am a socio of FC Barcelona and I have my own seats on the field and I hope that the day will come when Leo can enjoy his farewell as he deserves. No one expected him to leave like this and I am convinced that the president is working to see him off in a way that he deserves,” he concluded.
According to the reports, Messi is set to leave the French club Paris Saint German (PSG) after the end of this season.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was in the news after he was suspended by PSG following his trip to Saudia Arabia after PSG’s defeat against Lorient on Sunday, April 30.
Earlier, Messi's father Jorge Messi denies all the rumours that linked the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
It was reported that Messi would sign a "£552 million” deal to join the same league as Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed for Al Nassr in January.