Lionel Messi ‘bought his neighbours’ house’ because they made a lot of noise, claims Barcelona team-mate Ivan Rakitic
LIONEL MESSI "bought his neighbours' house", Barcelona team-mate Ivan Rakitic has revealed.
The midfielder told a Croatian newspaper that Messi wanted to "be alone".
The Barcelona superstar, 29, has lived in the fashionable suburb of Castelldefels for years - Luis Suarez moved close by when he joined the club from Liverpool.
But Rakitic has lifted the lid on Messi's row with a neighbour that saw him buy the house next door.
The Croatian also lives in the town, half an hour south of Barcelona, and spends more time there than he does in the city.
He said: "I have never been to Las Ramblas and Montjuïc, for example.
"I did not have any problems with the neighbours, not like Messi in Castelldefels - he had to buy his house from the neighbours because they were noisy and so he could be alone."
RELATED STORIES
Rakitic also revealed that his team-mates love to play Ludo.
It turns out that in 2013, Messi bought the house next door to his.
Initially they had been offered the pad but turned it down.
wrote that the cash-strapped owners then opted to rent out rooms in the property, meaning lots of strangers coming and going from the pad.
The Spanish paper also reported that the new tenants were"nosy", "rude" and played "loud music" which resulted in "unease" for Messi and his young family.
Initially Messi decided to raise a dividing wall but the structure fell foul of building regulations and an official complaint was made - the family even threatened to take the star to court.
With the threat of a legal battle, Messi eventually agreed to buy the property.
Messi owns around two acres on the site.
The Argentinian also owns a custom built house in Llavaneres Sant Andreu.