Barcelona needed to protect themselves with Lionel Messiโs release clause after Neymarโs shock exit, director Guillermo Amor said.
Messi, 30, finally signed a new deal with the La Liga leaders, extending his stay until 2021 with an astronomical โฌ700-million release cause.
Barca saw Neymar leave in August after Paris Saint-Germain paid a world-record โฌ222m โ the Brazilianโs release clause.
Amor, a club great now responsible for Barcelonaโs institutional and sporting relations for the first team, said lessons had been learned after Neymarโs departure.
โWe were never nervous,โ he said after his sideโs 1-1 draw with Valencia on Sunday.
โLionel was always very happy at Barca and we want him to retire here, as he wishes.
โWe are talking about the clause, and with Neymarโs experience we must protect ourselves.โ