Pep Guardiola, the former coach of Barcelona and current coach of Manchester City, has revealed that he wants Lionel Messi to retire at Barcelona.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Guardiola expressed his desire for Messi to end his career at the club where he has spent the majority of his professional career.

Guardiola, who coached Messi during his time at Barcelona, believes that the Argentine superstar deserves a proper farewell from the club. He stated, “I hope one day we can say goodbye to Messi with FC Barcelona. The way he deserves it.

Messi is the best player in history. No one thinks he’s leaving that way and I’m sure President Laporta is working on a well-deserved farewell.”

Messi’s future has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, with the player’s contract at Barcelona set to expire at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, where he would reunite with former Barcelona teammate Neymar and play under former coach Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Guardiola’s comments suggest that he believes Messi should remain at Barcelona, where he has won numerous titles and established himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Guardiola himself enjoyed great success at Barcelona, winning three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies during his four-year tenure at the club.

Barcelona’s new president, Joan Laporta, has made it clear that he wants to keep Messi at the club, and has been working to negotiate a new contract with the player.

Laporta has stated that he is “convinced” that Messi wants to stay at Barcelona, and that the club is doing everything in its power to make that happen.

If Messi does decide to leave Barcelona, it would be a major blow to the club and its fans. However, Guardiola’s comments suggest that he believes that Messi’s legacy should be tied to Barcelona, and that the club should do everything in its power to keep him there.

In the end, the decision will be up to Messi himself. The player has not yet made a public statement about his future, and it remains to be seen whether he will stay at Barcelona or move on to a new challenge.

However, Guardiola’s words serve as a reminder of the impact that Messi has had on Barcelona and the sport of soccer as a whole, and the importance of giving him a proper send-off if he does decide to leave.