Messi will spend family vacation in Croatia

Zagreb, May 20: FC Barcelo's Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi will spend 10 days on vacation with his family in a private villa on the Croatian island of Hvar, where he will be with his team-mate Ivan Rakitic, Slobod Dalmacija newspaper reported on Friday.

The newspaper said on its front page that Messi's stay on the Croatian coast was announced by businessman Slavko Gotovac, owner of the luxurious villa Sancta Domenica, located in the village of Sveta Nedjelja, where the player will stay, reports Efe. Renting this villa costs 3,000 euros ($3,364) a day, but Gotovac said he would not charge Messi anything because "it is an honour to have him as a guest". Gotovac, a big Barcelo fan, claims to have watched many games of the Catalan club. He did not reveal when Messi will stay in the villa, which was rented last year by Hollywood actor George Clooney. IANS