Lionel Messi speaks again about his stint at PSG: A change I didn’t ask for. It was difficult, I wanted to stay in Barcelona

Lionel Messi is currently recovering from an injury and not only Inter Miami, but also the Argentina national team have to cope without him. In his absence on the pitch, he at least gave an interview in which he returned to his move from Barcelona to Paris.

The best footballer in history is now enjoying not only football but also life in Florida. In Miami, he is not under so much media pressure, playing with his friends. There’s a relaxed air about him. He has no need to prove anything to anyone.

However, he is currently recovering from an injury and on this occasion he gave an interview to the Big Time podcast where he talked about, among other things, a shocking moment from the summer of 2021. He was expected to sign a new contract with Barcelona, instead Lionel Messi became a free agent and had to look for a new engagement.

There was speculation about his sensational arrival at Manchester City. The media linked him to several clubs. However, he eventually ended up at PSG in France, where he formed a stellar trio with his friend Neymar and star Kylian Mbappe.

It was expected that the legendary Argentine could be the one to lead the Parisian club to the coveted Champions League winners’ trophy, however, it didn’t happen and for a number of reasons. Lionel Messi himself put in a great performance, and he cannot be blamed, even if the club’s fans did so senselessly.

Considering how the holder of eight Ballons d’Or felt in the French capital and the situation he was in, it is all the more admirable what he did.

Lionel Messi has spoken out about leaving for PSG

“The change was difficult. I was doing great in all aspects at Barcelona. I planned to stay there, I wasn’t ready to leave, but everything happened too quickly. From one day to the next I had to rebuild my life from the ground up,” Goal quotes the Inter Miami star as saying.

“I had to get used to a new league, a new club, a new dressing room. It was a change I didn’t want. That’s why it was very difficult at first,” Lionel Messi added.

However, he was in the same position as a child when he left his native Argentina to follow his dream to Europe, specifically to the aforementioned Barcelona, in whose jersey he made world football history.

“That was also difficult for me. I was a child. I had to adapt to friends, a new country, a new city, new people, a new school. But I thought about the fact that I was doing it for what I wanted to do for a living. Playing football on a great team. That’s what got me ahead. It was amazing, I had a great time. They alwaystreated me great at Barcelona and I’m grateful for that,” he added.

Lionel Messi has kept up breathtaking numbers throughout his career. He scored 672 goals for Barcelona, adding 303 assists, which took him 778 games to complete. At PSG, he got 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games. Inter Miami, meanwhile, has graced him with 16 goals and 7 assists in 19 games.

It is in Miami that the eight Ballon d’Or winner is under contract until the end of 2025. By then, he would like to dominate the Copa América tournament once more with Argentina.

Source: Goal, Big Time podcast, Transfermarkt