Barcelona legend Lionel Messi was keen on moving to Chelsea after falling out with manager Jose Enrique in January 2015, according to Spanish journalist Francesc Aguilar.
The columnist for the Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo revealed that the Argentine was so angry about being dropped to the bench for the 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad that he phoned his former teammate Cesc Fabregas:
Lionel Messi estuvo cerca de dejar el Barça en varias ocasiones, nunca por temas futbolísticos. La oferta del Inter desvelada por Branca no fue la única. Leo pensó en irse cuando los problemas injustos con Hacienda y cuando Luis Enrique le dejó en el banquillo en Anoeta.
— Francesc Aguilar (@FApor_elmundo) May 24, 2020
En el segundo caso llegó a llamar a su amigo Cesc Fàbregas para que le pusiera en contacto con José Mourinho e irse al Chelsea con ellos. Por fortuna, el padre Jorge Messi lo frenó y la tormenta de Anoeta amainó por intervención de JM Bartomeu.
— Francesc Aguilar (@FApor_elmundo) May 24, 2020
Messi reportedly asked Fabregas to get him in contact with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho so talks over a potential transfer could begin.
However, an intervention from Messi’s father as well as a meeting with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu stopped the move from going any further.
Messi started the Copa Del Rey tie against Elche four days later, captaining the side in a 5-0 win, scoring once and providing two assists in the process.
By the end of that season, Enrique’s team completed a historic treble, winning the league, cup and the Champions League.
