Barcelona legend Lionel Messi claims Manchester City could be "screwed" by the ban handed to them by UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
The governing body gave the Blues a fine and a two year ban for 'serious breaches' of the rules — something which City strongly deny. Pep Guardiola's side are facing the prospect of no European football for the next two seasons.
Guardiola committed his future to the club following the 2-0 win against West Ham on Wednesday night but Messi believes if the ban is upheld,after City's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, that the club could suffer without Champions League football.
"It is surprising because nobody thought that such a thing could happen, so powerful," Messi told Mundo Deportivo about City's ban.
"Paris (Saint-Germain) paid a fine or I don't know how it went. If in the end the City does not play the Champions League for what it is, with the players, the club and the money it spends it will be weird.
"If City does not enter the Champions League there are many players who may look for an exit or perhaps not. The Champions League is very pretty but two years without playing it can be screwed."
Already City's top players are being linked with exits from the club and it was put to Messi that maybe Barcelona should look to sign Sergio Aguero. But, the Argentine laughed off a response.
"Sign them all?" he jokingly replied.
