Coach announces farewell
Lionel Messi leaves PSG on a free transfer
06/01/2023 2:41 p.m
Lionel Messi is set to leave French champions Paris Saint-Germain as expected. That’s what his trainer says. The world star himself has not yet commented. Is it going to Cristiano Ronaldo in the desert now?
Argentinian football superstar Lionel Messi will leave Paris Saint-Germain. PSG coach Christoph Galtier spoke of Messi’s “last game at the Parc des Princes”, PSG’s stadium. The French champions meet Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 in the final match of the season in France’s Ligue 1 on Saturday. “I’ve had the privilege of coaching the best player in football history,” Galtier said of Messi. He hopes that the world champion will be received in the stadium in the best possible way. The 35-year-old has always been available this year and has been an important part of the team. He was always at the service of the team and the game.
Over the past few months, an extension of the multiple world footballer’s contract, which expires after the season, has become increasingly unlikely. At the latest with a trip to Saudi Arabia not approved by the club, which the newly crowned French record champion sharply condemned and for which the Argentine had to apologize publicly, the break was obvious. Even if Messi’s camp repeatedly emphasized that the farewell was by no means sealed. Where the world star is now drawn to is still open.
There are repeated reports of a huge dollar offer from Saudi Arabia, where Messi would meet his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo again. There he could earn up to 500 million euros per season, it is said. The Portuguese had already followed the gilded call from the desert in January. There is also said to be an offer from MLS club Inter Miami, led by former world-class player David Beckham. There is also great interest at FC Barcelona in a return campaign for the prodigal son, who had played for the club for more than 20 years. It is more than questionable whether the badly clammy Catalans can afford a return of the superstar. Messi himself has yet to comment on his future.
Messi scored the 496th league goal of his career in one of the five top European leagues in Paris at the weekend in a 2-0 win over Racing Straßbourg – breaking Ronaldo’s record. The Portuguese had scored 495 goals in England, Spain and Italy. The record player said goodbye to FC Barcelona in tears in 2021, who could not continue to employ his superstar for financial reasons. In Paris, Messi formed the most spectacular trio in world football at club level with Brazilian Neymar and France’s world champion Kylian Mbappé – at least by name. In terms of sport, they ran miles behind the high goals: In the Champions League, the noble ensemble failed twice in the short Messi era in the round of 16.