Lionel Messi found an ingenious way to deal with his noisy neighbours in Barcelona – by just buying their house off them.
Messi used to reside in Castelldefels, a seaside town 12 miles south-west of Barcelona, the town is a popular visiting destination in the summer for those from the Catalan capital and surrounding countryside. Originally purchased for €1.8million (£1.5m) in 2009, the superstar’s home when with the Blaugrana had a further €6million (£5m) spent on renovating it.
Messi converted the place into a three-story building with a swimming pool and gym, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Speaking to Croatian outlet Novi List, Messi’s former Barcelona team-mate Ivan Rakitic said: “When he bought his house in Castelldefels, his neighbours were a little noisy, so Leo had to buy their house so that he could be alone [with his family]. Luckily I have never had those problems.”
The Argentine was previously threatened with a lawsuit after originally attempting to raise a dividing wall between the two houses after his family became uneasy with the “nosy” and “rude behaviour, such as playing loud music.”
Messi eventually decided to take matters into his own hands and purchase the house that had several rented rooms, after the wall plan was scuppered as it “clashed against some local regulations.”
After swapping the Catalan coast for Paris, Messi has struggled adjusting to his new surroundings, scoring only twice in 18 league games.
The seven time Ballon d’Or winner was booed along with Neymar by the home crowd in their 3-0 win over Bordeaux after they were knocked out of the Champions League following the Parisians capitulation on the big stage again at the hands of Real Madrid.
He currently lives in a £41million castle on the outskirts of Paris with his wife and childhood sweetheart, Antonela Roccuzzo, along with their three sons: Thiago, Matteo and Ciro.
The Argentine also has a €7million (5.8m) mansion with views of the Catalan mountains designed to look like the number 10 from above, representing his shirt number at Barcelona.
Source: dailystar.co.uk
