"Messi trains like a beast, he's really switched on"

Nobody knows whether Messi will stay at the Camp Nou past June 2021 or not. That is the date his contract ends. 

And doubts over his future still hang over the Catalan capital. Ronald Araujo was asked whether Messi was willing to stay at Barca on 'TV3'. 

"I hope Messi stays with us for many more years. I thinks he's fine, very happy. He trains like a beast and that is good because he is the captain and a rolemodel. He brings a lot us, especially the youngsters. That he's so switched on is very positively for the team," the defender said. 

Focussed now on this season, he hopes Barca can get the double. "We have two trophies within reach. We want to win La Liga and the Copa del Rey," he said. 

He admitted that they were not always certain they could win the league, but now they think it's possible: "A few months back we thought we were a long way off La Liga, but we have been doing very well and cut the gap by a lot of points. For me, winning a trophy with this club would make me really happy."

On his role at Barca, he seemed happy because of what he has got up to now. "I thought I would play a few matches, but not as many as what I've played. It has been absolutely crazy in this sense," he said. 

Lastly, he responded to those who see him as a very similar to Barca legend Carles Puyol. "It's a compliment. He's a rolemodel and idol of the club. But I'm aware that I have to have my own career," Araujo concluded.