Leaving Barca for Manchester United

Barcelona winger Pedro has all but confirmed he will leave the club and join Manchester United after his extra-time heroics in Georgia on Tuesday night. After his epic late winner in the 5-4 triumph over Sevilla, Pedro told Catalan television: “It’s a difficult situation for me. I don’t want to go but it’s a question of playing time, of continuity in the team, it’s been this way for a few years now.”

That and the image of him stood apart from his celebrating team-mates as they lifted the Super Cup in the Dinamo Arena confirm comments made by Barcelona’s sporting director Robert Fernandez that he has now told the club he wants to go.

That statement from Fernandez enraged the Spain international as did his omission from the starting line-up and the suggestion from some quarters that he is going for financial reasons.

He added: “Of course I wanted to play [the final]. Robert shouldn’t have said what he said. I’ve barely exchanged words. He doesn’t know what I’m going through.

“And this isn’t about money. It’s a lack of respect towards me to say that it is. It’s about me playing. I’m ambitious. I don’t know what will happen but if I go I’ll always be a Barca fan.’

Before kick-off in Georgia, Fernandez told Spanish television: “Pedro has told me that he wants to leave. Right now there is nothing (no offers). Pedro’s clause isn’t negotiable, but this could be his last game.”

The player does not want to spoil his legacy by demanding that he is allowed to leave. And Barcelona don’t want to upset supporters by being seen to push Pedro out — which is why both are keen to see it as the decision of the other to part company.

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu repeated on Tuesday night that he does not want the player to go. But the decision was made last season when Pedro revealed that he would almost definitely move on at the end of the campaign.

That is why his buy-out clause plummeted from €150 million to €30m (£22 million) with both sides agreeing if it was met he would be off.

What now remains to be decided is when he goes to Manchester. Luis Enrique had wanted the player for both the European Super Cup and the two-leg Spanish Super Cup — to be played tomorrow and Monday in Bilbao and at the Nou Camp. But the decision to leave him out of Tuesday’s starting line-up may speed his exit. — BBC Sport.