Barcelona ace Lionel Messi insists he will have to reconsider his commitments with the club if he does not feel the “affection” from the supporters.
Barcelona endured a torrid 2013-14 campaign which saw them end the season without any major trophy for the first time since 2007-08 season and their star player Messi too experienced a dip in form.
Messi’s future with the Blaugrana was under the scanner after he was linked with a move away from the Catalan capital. However, all these speculations were squashed when the club reached an agreement with the Argentine worth around €20 million net per season which will make him the highest-paid player in the world.
While he still pours his heart out to his boyhood club, he insists that he could consider his options if attitudes towards him change in Catalunya. "I've always said I'm very happy to stay at my home," he posted on his official Weibo account.
"This year hasn't gone as expected and it wasn't one of my best, but I'm convinced that next year will be different, as it will be for the team.
"It's the people at Barcelona who decide what to do with my future, but my choice is to stay, as I still feel the same affection from them, but if that isn't the case I'll look for a solution."
The 26-year old’s season was marred by injuries and he was also embroiled in a tax evasion case midway through the season. He admits that it has been nothing short of a gruelling time for him and the club as they relinquished their league title on the final day when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid.
"Things didn't turn out as we had expected. It was a tough year personally and collectively," he said. "Despite this, we had the chance to achieve an objective in the last game and we were unable to take advantage of it. I can only say sorry to all the Barcelona fans and promise them that next year we'll meet the demands of this club again."
The Argentina international went on to make 46 appearances for Barcelona this season and scored 41 goals in the process.