Messi agrees new Barcelona deal

Messi agrees new Barcelona deal

Lionel Messi, Xavi and Carles Puyol have reached agreement with Barcelona to extend their contracts.

Argentina superstar Messi - who netted his 89th and 90th goals of 2012 at the weekend - is to pen a new deal to stay with the Catalans until 2018. The 25-year-old recently surpassed Gerd Muller's 40-year-old record of 85 goals in a calendar year.

The runaway La Liga leaders - quoted 1.04 in the outright winner market - said they expected Messi to sign "in the coming weeks".

Spain defender and Camp Nou stalwart Puyol, 34, has agreed a new contract to stay with Barca until the summer of 2016.

World Cup and two-time European Championship winner Xavi, 32, has also had his contract extended until the summer of 2016.

Barcelona lead Spain's La Liga by nine points and on Saturday travel to take on Real Valladolid in mid-table at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla (Real Valladolid 11.00 draw 6.00 Barcelona 1.25 - 90 minutes).

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