BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi criticized a Barcelona vice-president on Friday for saying the Argentina forward didnt deserve a better contract. Javier Faus, the vice-president in charge of Barcelonas finances, said two weeks ago he didnt see a reason to further extend Messis contract. Last year, the club extended the 26-year-old Messis contract through 2018. "Mr. Faus is a person that doesnt know anything about football and wants to run Barcelona like a business, which it isnt," Messi told Catalan radio RAC1. "Barcelona is the best team in the world and deserves to be represented by the best executives. "I remind him that neither I nor any of my representatives have asked for a contract extension at any moment, and he knows that very well." Messi is Barcelonas all-time leading scorer and a four-time world player of the year. He is in Argentina recovering from a hamstring injury and expected to return to Barcelona in January. Messi rarely speaks about the business side of his career. This is the first time he has openly criticized an important board member of the club he joined when he was 13 years old. Besides a series of injuries, Messis season has also been marked by legal problems. Messi and his father Jorge are being investigated for allegedly not paying all their taxes. Messis father made a payment of more than 5 million euros (then $6.6 million) on Aug. 14 to cover alleged back taxes and interest. Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes called for calm and downplayed any conflict between the club and its most valuable player. "We are all pulling in the same direction in this club," Valdes said. Even so, it appears that a better deal for Messi could be in the works. Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said on Thursday he had not spoken to Messi about his contract, while adding "but my door is always open. I have no doubt that the best player in the world deserves to be the highest paid." 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James Worthy Lakers Jersey . Never caused problems. Never raised a ruckus. Never got sick or hurt while frolicking in the fields of Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky.SEATTLE -- Steve Ballmers departure from the group looking to bring the NBA back to Seattle isnt derailing lead investor Chris Hansens hopes of getting a team back in the region. Hansen told The Associated Press on Monday that he is confident hell be able to find investors to take Ballmers place in his group that is trying to build a new arena and last year nearly bought and moved the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. Hansen is the majority investor in the project, but said it would likely take more than one person to replace Ballmers investment. Other than Hansen, the only other known partners in the investment group are members of the Nordstrom department store family. Hansen said he wont put a limit on the number of investors at this time. "I think we want to have a reasonable group of partners," Hansen said. "That will be the thing that is probably most missed from Steves involvement. One, hes a great guy and very successful in his career and would have added a lot of insights and value in operating the team. Thats probably the first thing that will be missed from having him as a partner and the second thing, given his net worth, (he) had the ability to be really the only other partner that we needed. In all likelihood there are not a lot of Steve Ballmers in the world with his financial well-being, so in all likelihood I think its reasonable to assume we have a few more partners rather than just one." Seattles hopes seemed to take a blow last week when Ballmer agreed to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. Among other things, it raised questions about whether Ballmers decision should be taken as a sign that Seattles hopes of getting a franchise are dwindling. Hansen tried to calm those concerns, noting the environmental reviews on the proposed arena site are ongoing aand that he remains committed to continuing the process both with the arena and a team.dddddddddddd. Hansens memorandum of understanding with the city of Seattle and King County on the arena goes through November 2017. "Everybody is very interested in what that means for right now. In six to nine months this will pass and well still be here trying to get our arena built and still be here trying to pursue a franchise and I think that is what is most important," Hansen said. "There is nothing we have to do. We own the land outright. There is no immediate time pressure that we have to do something and thats been very well received by the NBA as well -- the fact were willing to be patient and endure through this." Because of a lack of buzz about the NBA prior to Ballmer agreeing to purchase the Clippers, questions about whether the NHL could be first to land in Seattle have increased. It peaked recently when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman flew to Seattle during the NHL playoffs to meet with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County executive Dow Constantine. Hansen reiterated he does not have an interest in being the majority owner of an NHL franchise. But hes willing to partner with another investor who has that passion for the NHL. That would require a restructuring of the memorandum of understanding and Hansen said any re-writing of the deal would have to be initiated by the city and county. "We would like to be accommodative to get the NHL here. There should be no question about that. Were building this arena as a two-sport building. It has the larger footprint for hockey. Weve worked hard to do that. We would like to do everything in our power to allow hockey to come here in a way that makes sense for the NHL and for a prospective partner," Hansen said. ' ' '