FC Barcelona has the "obligation" to extend the contract of Lionel Messi, said its president Josep Maria Bartomeu on Tuesday in a radio interview in Catalan Rac1, while the future of the argentine superstar at Barcelona has been thrown into doubt by the press last week.

"Normally, it does not elaborate on the discussions that we have with the players, but it is obvious that we have the obligation to extend it," said Bartomeu on Messi. "This is the best player of the history. He still has many years of football, and about the information that have come out these last few days, I would say that it is always the Cadena Ser ", said the president blaugrana.