Lionel Messi puts a damper on Barca’s hopes of a return
Lionel Messi
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He feels uncomfortable in France? All nonsense! Lionel Messi has declared his love for Paris – which could come as a huge blow to FC Barcelona and their hopes of bringing back the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He feels uncomfortable in France? All nonsense! Lionel Messi has declared his love for Paris – which could come as a huge blow to FC Barcelona and their hopes of bringing back the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 as the club’s poor financial situation made it impossible to complete the extension that had already been agreed.
Messi had at that point spent 21 years at Barcelona which made adapting to a new club in a new country very difficult. His debut season at PSG was therefore disappointing by his standards, earning him the fewest goals (11 in all competitions) since his youth.
But for the 2022/23 season, the 35-year-old has settled in well at PSG and has already scored more goals in just 19 games than in the entire last season. He also contributed 14 assists.
“I like Paris much more, I’m discovering the city and I think it’s great,” revealed Messi in one YouTube-Interview for CONMEBOL ahead of the World Cup.
“There was a big change in the first year. Things happened very suddenly, it wasn’t my goal to leave Barcelona and everything was very abrupt. After this long and difficult period, I’m happy to live where I live – my family and I are enjoying Paris.”
On the suddenness of the move, Messi added: “It was hard, we’ve stayed in the same place all our lives, I had never moved and I didn’t know what it was like, [Barcelona] to leave.”
“We didn’t expect it, everything happened very quickly and we had to leave Barcelona overnight. We found ourselves in a new environment. We had our life in Barcelona, our friends, our habits and we found each other in one different place, with a different language, a different football, a different climate, I suffered a lot from that.”
“It was difficult. But today I enjoy everything, including football,” he enthused of the French capital.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been open about his desire to bring Messi back to the Camp Nou in recent months. He described that the club have a ‘moral debt’ towards the player but labeled the split as ‘temporary’ and stressed that he would like Messi to retire at Barcelona.
Vice President Eduard Romeu said just last month: “We know how to work miracles.”
Messi is in the second season of a two-year deal at PSG which includes an option for a third season.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com/de as Lionel Messi puts a damper on Barca’s hopes of a return released.