Zagreb: FC Barcelona'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 teammate Ivan Rakitic, Slobodna Dalmacija newspaper reported yesterday.

Lionel Messi with his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo. Pic/AFP

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 (approximately Rs 2.25 lakh) 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 Barcelona fan, claims to have watched many games of the Catalan club.