Barcelona ace Messi forms management team

Team Messi is taking shape at Barcelona.

Sport says 'Leo Messi Management' has swung into action as they seek to maximise the Barca star's commercial potential around the world.

Dad Jorge and brother Rodrigo are directors, with former Barca marketing chief Esteve Calzad and Pau Negre, who is still with Barca, also part of the management team.

Negre has won international contracts for, among others, Ronaldinho, Xavi and Thierry Henry, from which Barcelona gained a significant percentage of the revenue.

Negre's role will be similar to a director of sponsorship, looking for new clients and markets where the brand and image Messi will grow, both domestically and internationally.

Messi already counts on multinationals Adidas, Pepsi and Konami as among his sponsors.