Diego Maradona has slammed Barcelona’s attitude of not holding their star players in high esteem when they give their best to help progress the club.

According to the Argentine, the Catalan club was not reasonable with the six-time Balon d'Or winner when he made the decision to leave Camp Nou to welcome new challenge irrespective of what he has done for them.

Maradona turned 60 on Friday, October 30 and in discussing a few matters regarding football, the former World Best player believes that the Blaugranas policy of making it hard for players to depart after accomplishments is not pleasant, a situation he went through after two seasons at the Camp Nou to welcome new heights at Napoli.

Manchester City were on alert to welcome the 33-year old after he sent a burofax to Barcelona declaring his intentions to leave following their 8-2 thrashing by Bayern Munich a few days later.

"I knew it was going to end badly and I thought Leo was going to leave," Maradona told the Argentinian newspaper, Clarin.

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"It happened to me too. Barcelona is not an easy club and he has been there for many years and was not treated as he deserves. "He gave them everything, he took them to the top and one day he wanted to leave to get a change of scenery and they said no.

"What happens is that slamming the door is not easy; there is a contract, a very big club, people who love you. I didn't do it at Napoli."

Messi is in the final year of his contract and is free to speak to clubs in January, a situation Barcelona wants to avoid and convince the forward that he is destined for them. The resignation of Josep Bartomeu with his board of directors last Tuesday night could be the turning point for the Best player to change his mind yet that is left to be seen in the days ahead.

Maradona revealed that he is because of football yet his playing days were cut short due to his compulsion to drugs.

"Football gave me everything I have, more than I could have imagined," he stated. "And if I hadn't had that [drug] addiction, I would have been able to play much more. "But now that is in the past, I am well and what I regret most is not having my parents."