Barcelona react as Lionel Messi wins new award

Barcelona have congratulated their former captain, Lionel Messi, after he received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in Oviedo on Friday, describing the relationship between the Argentine and the club as an “inseparable bond”. Messi received the award a few days before the announcement of the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner in London. The 39-year-old football legend received the award from Princess Leonor at the Teatro Campoamor during a ceremony presided over by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. His wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, was also present at the event. The jury, chaired by Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales, selected Messi from 27 candidates representing 12 nationalities. The panel...