Messi's Farewell Message For Vidal, Who Completed His Transfer To Inter Today

Lionel Messi and Arturo Vidal (Photo: Antara (

JAKARTA - Lionel Messi wrote a farewell message to Arturo Vidal following the midfielder's move from Barcelona to Inter Milan.

The Chilean midfielder spent two seasons at Barcelona and helped the club win La Liga in his first season at Camp Nou.

However, Barca's top brass are looking to unleash several senior players this summer including Vidal, Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic, to rejuvenate the squad following a disastrous season that ended in a humiliating 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last month.

Vidal arrives in Milan on Sunday evening (local time) and will complete his € 1million transfer to Antonio Conte's side on Monday.

However, Messi admits that Vidal's departure will be felt in the Barcelona dressing room.

"I only know you from facing each other and you always seem like a phenomenal player to me, but then I was lucky to meet you in person and you surprised me even more," Messi wrote on his Instagram account.

"Two years we shared a lot and you made yourself heard a lot, the players will miss you, Arturo."

"I wish you all the best at this new stage at your new club. We'll meet again, for sure."

According to Antara, on Monday, Vidal is known to be vocal in voicing his opinion to his club, for example last month when he criticized Barcelona's board of directors for their failure to build a competitive squad.

"Barcelona must first change their way of thinking because football has improved a lot," said the 33-year-old.

"DNA has fallen behind and other teams are improving in other aspects. Nowadays, football is more physical, more about strength and speed, and technical ability can sometimes be secondary."

"Barcelona have to change many things. A club, which in my opinion is the best in the world, cannot have 13 professional players and the rest are young players."

"It's not that they don't deserve to be there, but they have to compete with the best and with who has to play."