![Barcelona's Lionel Messi on the attack against Athletic Bilbao. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IT72YSHO6RPYVQLFAVXGTDRC7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=95172769f052828453cea2fc7f6e3cf36d534804bd236e77610c739dae495d64&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal in their La Liga win against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on January 31. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S3ASLYKDFX5DTDSQWATFGY4PHI.jpg?smart=true&auth=496e8a0400e6b8b30a299c70bee2d5818d25579d2dcae1a0a75d2ec495e50599&width=400&height=225)
![Athletic Bilbao defender Yuri Berchiche challenges Barcelona's Lionel Messi. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YO6ULES7PW3Z4KFOFARW7OIV4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=06aa70ee98b2a2f5726047838860b2fe15f2e57eeb5f7ef7329d05e65526629b&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K6HRGQPBW5TNEFJTXAOB5W42NY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4a9be23da56d8805f486e12b1f079b35a2a5f219cda85666f47b242f84915bb7&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/USI6SYBZXU2QM4LIIORXKFGX64.jpg?smart=true&auth=b826a34996daaf33277ba6f72aa1417fc09058242789313a516b4663e86f2b57&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. Reuters](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TJ4BTGKURYKKZSANCSHYAD2PZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=859c48b5fa974fd36e267e81c6efb3eb97930032d79feacc80608b44d78f19b2&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi is challenged by Athletic Bilbao's Yuri Berchiche. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7FEK5DTNIAVGE2SLU2OGABKCQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=771f55c8299b3dfe0cce9e13200bd1a9ebb10ef8bc06acf55d01b4d977c363d3&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's players celebrate after Lionel Messi's goal. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DZNUVZWQB5KWK3AEWABB7WFQHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ee834117e21c25ffa68cdde24eadc90ec9274050862b4227b1adf4adc7bef8c&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi under pressure from Athletic Bilbao midfielder Dani Garcia. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LXZEBBG4HBHJSBLBZZ3CFWL4XY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4222abea53279e83b53cab7bae6b99af85dd20132e198cca4ef7f9e85d9af9e3&width=400&height=225)
![Athletic Bilbao's Dani Garcia challenges Lionel Messi. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ONLXYBOE2FCO42QIV3O7YETHLQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=eab7aca6223f30383cbd25e18a43c000af5fcc4431caef2b1d17e68c14f9b9fc&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi on the attack against Athletic Bilbao. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IT72YSHO6RPYVQLFAVXGTDRC7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=95172769f052828453cea2fc7f6e3cf36d534804bd236e77610c739dae495d64&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal in their La Liga win against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on January 31. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S3ASLYKDFX5DTDSQWATFGY4PHI.jpg?smart=true&auth=496e8a0400e6b8b30a299c70bee2d5818d25579d2dcae1a0a75d2ec495e50599&width=400&height=225)
![Athletic Bilbao defender Yuri Berchiche challenges Barcelona's Lionel Messi. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YO6ULES7PW3Z4KFOFARW7OIV4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=06aa70ee98b2a2f5726047838860b2fe15f2e57eeb5f7ef7329d05e65526629b&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K6HRGQPBW5TNEFJTXAOB5W42NY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4a9be23da56d8805f486e12b1f079b35a2a5f219cda85666f47b242f84915bb7&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/USI6SYBZXU2QM4LIIORXKFGX64.jpg?smart=true&auth=b826a34996daaf33277ba6f72aa1417fc09058242789313a516b4663e86f2b57&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick to make it 1-0. Reuters](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TJ4BTGKURYKKZSANCSHYAD2PZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=859c48b5fa974fd36e267e81c6efb3eb97930032d79feacc80608b44d78f19b2&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi is challenged by Athletic Bilbao's Yuri Berchiche. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7FEK5DTNIAVGE2SLU2OGABKCQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=771f55c8299b3dfe0cce9e13200bd1a9ebb10ef8bc06acf55d01b4d977c363d3&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's players celebrate after Lionel Messi's goal. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DZNUVZWQB5KWK3AEWABB7WFQHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4ee834117e21c25ffa68cdde24eadc90ec9274050862b4227b1adf4adc7bef8c&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi under pressure from Athletic Bilbao midfielder Dani Garcia. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LXZEBBG4HBHJSBLBZZ3CFWL4XY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4222abea53279e83b53cab7bae6b99af85dd20132e198cca4ef7f9e85d9af9e3&width=400&height=225)
![Athletic Bilbao's Dani Garcia challenges Lionel Messi. AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ONLXYBOE2FCO42QIV3O7YETHLQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=eab7aca6223f30383cbd25e18a43c000af5fcc4431caef2b1d17e68c14f9b9fc&width=400&height=225)
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi on the attack against Athletic Bilbao. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IT72YSHO6RPYVQLFAVXGTDRC7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=95172769f052828453cea2fc7f6e3cf36d534804bd236e77610c739dae495d64&width=400&height=225)
Barcelona presidential rivals insist Lionel Messi is worth the money
After Argentine's contract details are leaked to a Spanish newspaper, Laporta and Font both hit the radio airwaves in support of club hero
The National
February 01, 2021
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic