Paris— —Lionel Messi said on Wednesday that he would like to give Paris Saint-Germain the first Champions League trophy. He said goodbye to Barcelona after signing a two-year contract with the deep-pocket French football powerhouse.
After Barcelona, Messi joined the star-studded PSG as a free agent. There he started his career and always imagined, but last week they admitted that they could no longer afford him.
Thousands of PSG fans rushed to the Parc des Princes Stadium. Since the arrival of Qatar Sports Investment European, the owner of free spending in 2011, I believed that the team would win the Champions League and win the Champions League, but never always reached the highest award in European football. did.
Messi said he was hungry to add the Champions League title to the four games he won in Barcelona.
“That’s why I’m here (to win the trophy). It’s an ambitious club,” Messi said at a press conference.
After years of failing to cross the quarterfinals, PSG finally reached the finals in 2020, but lost to Bayern Munich and made it to the semifinals last season.
“My dream is to win another Champions League, which I think is an ideal place for that,” Messi added. Messi agrees with the first team number for senior football in Barcelona, PSG.
Argentina admitted that they didn’t know when to debut because they hadn’t played since winning the Copa America last month.
“I’m back from vacation. It takes a little pre-season to get me moving,” he said.
Fair play rules
Messi joins former Barca teammate Neymar in Paris.
The Brazilian left Catalunya for the French capital in 2017 with a world record of € 222 million ($ 259.94 million), but never hid his desire to reconnect with his best friend on the pitch. did not.
They are now in line with French word cup winner Kylian Mbappe in a powerful front three attack.
“It’s insane to play with players like Neymar and Mbappe,” Messi continued.
France’s top football league has always been recognized as the cousin of the neighboring top flight leagues of England, Germany, Spain and Italy.
PSG’s Qatar funding allows PSG to compete at their level, but much of the rest of the league is quite floating in terms of resources. In a rare comment praising the club’s transfer deal, Ligue 1 President Vincent Labrune celebrated Messi’s signature as a big French football victory.
“The arrival of Messi will enhance the appeal and visibility of championships across the continent,” Labrune said in a statement. He thanked the club owners for creating what he calls one of the largest sports franchises in the world.
However, some commentators asked if PSG could afford to sign Messi within the financial fair play (FFP) regulations of UEFA, the governing body of European football.
UEFA FFP rules are designed to prevent spending more than the club earns. Spain’s LaLiga-specific FFP rules are stricter than UEFA rules, and each club is given a salary cap that must be complied with.
“We are always attentive to financial fair play. This is the first thing to check with commercial, financial and legal people before signing anyone,” said PSG Chairman and CEO Nacelle Arche. Raiffy said at the same press conference.
“magician”
Messi held his new shirt over thousands of fans outside the stadium, slammed drums, fired smoke flares, and shyly waved his name.
Local fan Nelson Dross, 17, told Reuters: Because he makes us dream. He is a magician and a genius. “
Messi cried on Sunday telling Barcelona fans that he was leaving his childhood club.
“I’m always grateful to Barca and his fans. I went there as a boy, and we had some good and bad times,” he said Wednesday.
Asked what he thought when it was time to play against an old club, he replied:My house in another team’s shirt— —But it’s soccer. “
By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Joseph Walker
