Ex-Barcelona defender Eric Abidal says his former teammate Lionel Messi has a strong character, but would not deliberately set out to destabilise the Camp Nou dressing room.
Recent weeks have seen local press stories of a behind-the-scenes power struggle between Messi and Barca coach Luis Enrique, with the pair reportedly rowing both before and after the 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad on Jan. 4, and the player then not showing for training the morning after the game.
Luis Enrique has pointedly refused to either confirm or deny these reports, although Messi himself came out strongly after last Sunday's 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid to say that speculation he was trying to force a change of coach at the club were "lies."
Abidal, who won a host of trophies while spending six seasons with Messi at the Camp Nou, said the Argentine was not the type of person to behave badly and upset his colleagues.
"I know Leo very well," the former France international said. "He is a very well-mannered person -- he is not here to mess with Barca and with other people. He has character, but he respects people. I do not know if it is true what is happening, but I believe it is not."
Some reports have claimed that the recent issues could even see Messi leave Barca, with Premier League outfits Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United mentioned as possible destinations.
Abidal said it was difficult to imagine the Masia graduate at another club, but pointed out that the 27-year-old himself had not ruled out the possibility, and such unlikely moves sometimes happened in professional sport.
"He already said it himself: he is at Barca at the moment, tomorrow you never know,"he said. "Sport is like that. But yes, I believe that Leo will end his career at Barcelona, and I hope he stays here. Barca is his home, and he has shown that with all he does on the pitch."
Abidal himself retired in December 2014, having played for Monaco and Olympiakos after leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2013.
At that time then Blaugrana president Sandro Rosell said the club would offer him the position of director of their global academy network when his playing days ended.
Some more recent reports have claimed that the 35-year-old is seen within the club as an ideal figure to fill the sporting director position now vacant after Andoni Zubizarreta was fired.
Abidal said he had yet to decide what his next career move was going to be.
"I have received messages from the Barca president, from the people at Olympiakos, and also from other things I have going on," he said. "We all just need to meet with each one and plan for the future. But at the moment I am working for my personal foundation. I will take decisions soon, but at the moment I am relaxed about it."