The first reaction from Barcelona to Lionel Messi's interview with Goal.com

One week after Lionel Messi's explosive interview with Goal, FC Barcelona have reacted to the Argentin star's situation for the first time since he asked to leave the club. 

Vice president Pau Vilanova was tasked with speaking: "We are really happy that Messi is with us and that he's joined this exciting project. We have to consider what he said and look for solutions and that's what we're doing with a new, renewed, exciting project. 

"We've all had doubts about our situations at one moment or another in our professional careers and, after some reflection, we have decided to go or stay... and in this case he's going to stay and he's going to be motivated." 

Asked about the relationship between the board and Messi, Vilanova was optimistic: "We hope that there's respect and an alliance for the club to operate. Obviously there are people at the club that are talking with Messi." 

On the vote of no confidence against president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the board, Vilanova doesn't believe it will be pushed through. 

"That's why we're taking the measures we're taking, naming the date for the AGM, for elections... working for the good of Barça," he concluded.