Barcelona hopes Messi to retire in Spanish powerhouse

By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID (AA) - Though Lionel Messi's future at Barcelona remains uncertain, the Spanish club's chairman believes the Argentine superstar will retire at Barca.

"I see Messi wanting to continue. He has always said that he wants to retire with Barca and I am convinced that this will be the case, and it will be beyond my term because he will still play for many years," Josep Maria Bartomeu told Catalan radio RAC1 on Tuesday.

Bartomeu added that he believes Messi would renew his contract with Barcelona, which will expire in June 2021.

Messi scored his 700th goal this week, reaching a new milestone in his storied career.

Coming from a Barcelona youth setup, Messi has been a professional player since 2005.

Now 33, he has scored 630 goals in 725 appearances for Barcelona.

As Argentina's No.10, Messi netted 70 goals for his nation, where he captains.

He helped Barcelona win 10 La Liga, six Spanish Cup and four UEFA Champions League titles, as well as three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.