BARTOMEU: MESSI WILL EXTEND BARCA DEAL

Barcelona are close to securing the long-term contracts of Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, that is according to club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The future of both Barcelona legends have been in doubt over the last few months but the pair look to be close to putting pen to paper.

And Bartomeu has insisted fans have nothing to worry about regarding the two players.

Contracts for Messi and Iniesta? The club members can rest easy.” ," he told reporters after Tuesday's Champions League victory over Juventus.

"We've already said Messi's renewal is signed and that he'll be at Barca for as long as he wants, the same with Iniesta.

Talk of and Iniesta and Messi's exit have been intensified since the club sold Neymar to Paris St-Germain for a world record fee.

The club then failed to bring in key transfer targets and the Argentine was reportedly considering his future.

Iniesta's deal also runs out in 2018 and at the age of 33, talk has been rife that he would decide to spend the final years of his career away from the Nou Camp. Juventus were interested in signing the midfielder but CEO Giuseppe Marotta believes any deal is now almost impossible.

Club legend, Andres Iniesta has been at Barca since 1996 and made over 450 appearances for the club.

Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign against last season's finalists and came out on top with a 3-0 victory.

Lionel Messi summoned another mesmerizing performance as Barcelona breezed to a 3-0 win over Juventus in their UEFA Champions’ League Group D opener at the Nou Camp.

Messi scored twice and set up his side's second for Ivan Rakitic as Ernesto Valverde's men capitalized on some dismal defending by the visitors to claim some degree of revenge for last season's quarter-final loss.