Barcelona need Messi to stay - Busquets

The midfielder doesn't believe his team-mate will depart the club in the summer but is under no illusions just how important the Argentina star is to their future plans

Sergio Busquets is convinced Lionel Messi will still be a Barcelona player next season and admits the club can't afford to lose him.

Messi, 27, lost out to Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for the Ballon d'Or on Monday evening, finishing in second place, but stole the headlines by revealing he didn't know where he would be playing next season.

That admission follows on from a week of intense speculation linking him with Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Argentina superstar has reportedly grown unhappy at Camp Nou as a result of a strained relationship with coach Luis Enrique, with Messi left on the bench for the recent defeat to Real Sociedad.

Busquets was quick to calm fears his team-mate could be set for a shock departure, but admits the club can't afford to sanction his exit.

"The owner of his future is himself, he's not thinking about leaving and for us is very important that he stays," the midfielder said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"He said what everybody says in the football world, you don't know what will happen in the future, you don't know what can happen but, he also said that he doesn't want to leave the club.

"Leo is a common guy, he said the other day that he's just another part of the team, we know he makes the difference, he offers different things but he's just another player in the team.

"When there's a debate, everybody can see it in different way, the fans only know what they see in the media, not what really happens."

Discussing Ronaldo's success in winning a third Ballon d'Or on Monday, Busquets added: "For me, Lionel Messi is the best but, Cristiano is a fair winner."

Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 - Rating: 4.5

Title : Barcelona need Messi to stay - Busquets
Description : The midfielder doesn't believe his team-mate will depart the club in the summer but is under no illusions just how important the Argenti...

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