'We want the best in league': Zinedine Zidane 'hopes' Lionel Messi stays in La Liga amid exit report
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane responded to Lionel Messi's exit rumours from Barcelona on Friday. Zidane's Madrid took a four-point lead over arch-rivals Barcelona on Friday with a 1-0 win over Getafe in La Liga.
Messi, who has often considered as the greatest of all time, is contracted with the Catalan giants unit 2021. The 33-year-old has said several times earlier that he wished to finish his career at Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, the 33-year-old has now changed his mind and will instead leave when the deal ends.
On being asked about Messi's exit speculations, Zidane said he hopes him to stay in La Liga as the Frenchman wants to best to stay in the league.
"I don't know what will happen but we hope not because he is in this league and we want the best in this league," Zidane said after the win over Getafe.
The report said that Messi and his father Jorge had begun discussing renewing his last deal with the club, which was signed in 2017, but he no longer wishes to stay with Barcelona.
Recently, Messi scored his 700th career goal after he scored from the penalty spot in Barcelona's 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou in the ongoing La Liga.
There have been several reports going around regarding Messi's rotten relationship with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and manager Quique Setien.
Barcelona are second in the LaLiga and are on the verge of losing it to Real Madrid, after winning it 8 times in last 11 seasons.
After the win over Getafe, Zidane also heaped praise on captain Ramos, who scored the lone goal in the match from the penalty spot.
"Our captain is our leader on the field, but also outside," Zidane said of the Spain skipper, who took his career total to 100 goals.
"He is an unrepeatable player. He is unique and we know what he transmits to everyone else. I'm happy for him for his goal because when it comes to shooting a penalty, he has a lot of confidence."
Zidane feels that with patience and tranquillity Madrid can score goals.
"It's almost in the 80th minute and Dani Carvajal's effort in goal is from the whole team. We know that with patience and tranquillity we can score goals. This is what happened.
"The last 20 minutes with freshness we claimed a very important result. We have to congratulate all the players because what we are doing is not easy," Zidane said.
