June 25, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi has described his experience at Paris Saint-Germain as challenging, opening up about his disappointment over two consecutive unsuccessful attempts in the UEFA Champions League.
In an interview aired on Sunday, Messi revealed: “I came to Paris because I liked the club because I had friends in the dressing room… It seemed easier for me to adapt rather than another destination I could have gone to.” However, the adaptation process turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated, with a new game plan, teammates, and a different city to adjust to.
Messi pointed out that his late arrival and lack of pre-season made the start particularly tough for both himself and his family. His first season with PSG was further complicated when he contracted COVID-19 during the winter break in Argentina, resulting in a month-long absence from the pitch. Messi confessed that it took time for him to regain his physical form, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which Argentina won, also took a toll on him and several other players.
While Messi did not make an excuse for it, he believed that the World Cup had an impact on the overall performance of Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Furthermore, Messi acknowledged that the defeats to Real Madrid in 2022 and Bayern Munich in the current season in the Champions League were deeply disappointing.
His time at PSG was also marred by the disapproval of a section of the PSG fanbase, as some supporters expressed their dissatisfaction by whistling at him during matches. Their jeers escalated to sustained protests at the final stages of the last campaign. The 36-year-old football star, who spent 17 seasons at Barcelona before joining PSG in 2021, will now be heading to Inter Miami in the US Major League Soccer.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
