Catalan news outlets, El Periódico and TV3 are reporting that former coach and manager of Barcelona, Tito Vilanova convinced Lionel Messi to remain at the club after the Argentine number 10 admitted he wanted to leave. This conversation is reported to have taken place just days before Vilanova lost his battle to cancer.

The report states that in April following the Copa Del Rey defeat and Champions Leagye elimination, Messi visited Vilanova at his home and informed his former coach that he was ready to leave Barcelona.

With big spending Paris St Germain and Manchester City already making their interest in capturing the four-time Ballon D’or winner known, Vilanova questioned why Messi would want to go to these sides. Speaking at length, Vilanova reminded Messi that this is where he had grown and although this was a bad time, the good times would return to the Camp Nou.

Days later, Vilanova tragically passed away and on May 19th Messi signed his new contract to remain at Barcelona.

This appears to contradict what Messi himself had said when he explained that he had never had any thoughts of leaving his boyhood club. Whatever the truth, if Vilanova did indeed persuade Messi to stay it is another significant act performed by Tito.