Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has denied that Lionel Messi asked the club to sign Sergio Aguero and sack Luis Enrique.
Ahead of the Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday between Man City and Barcelona, talk has once again emerged about Messi’s desire to play alongside compatriot and close friend Aguero at Camp Nou.
However, Bartomeu has insisted that suggestions the four-time Ballon d’Or winner demanded the signing over Luis Suarez are untrue, whilst also claiming that Messi did not ask for Luis Enrique to be sacked.
“Messi has never asked me to sign Aguero,” he told Radiogaceta Sports. “The Luis Enrique reports are false, too. Leo never asked me to sack him, and he never asked anyone on the board, either.”
Messi and Enrique have been reported to have fallen out this season on numerous occasions, but Bartomeu was coy on the reports of a dressing bust up.
“The reported dressing room argument did happen,” he added. “I work with the two of them – a team with new members can have problems engaging, but they’re constantly improving.”