Local media in Spain predicted a low possibility of Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona.
Spain’s Mundo Deportivo said on the 10th (Korean time), “Despite the recent elimination in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), Messi’s first choice is to remain in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Juan Laporta Barcelona The president wants to re-sign Messi, but it’s more of an ideal than a reality.”
Messi left Barcelona ahead of last season and joined PSG as a free agent (FA). He reigned as a key player and icon for Barcelona for a long time, but after the end of his contract, he struggled with the club’s poor performance for several years. His final decision was to stay, but rather failed to renew the contract due to Barcelona’s financial problems.
This forced Messi to leave Barcelona. In his first season after joining PSG, he appeared in 26 matches in the French Ligue 1 and scored 6 goals and 14 assists, completing his adaptation. And Messi has been showing off his true value all season. He has scored 13 goals and 12 assists in 21 French Ligue 1 matches so far, contributing greatly to the team leading the way.
Messi’s contract with PSG was due to end this summer. As a result, various rumors began to circulate, such as rumors of returning to Barcelona and rumors of entering the US Major League Soccer (MLS). PSG, of course, wants to stay. In fact, it is known that the club has started negotiations with Messi’s father, Jorge, in earnest after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, I am still not sure about renewing the contract. PSG recently knelt 0-2 in the second leg of the UCL Round of 16 against Munich. The first leg at home was also lost 0-1, so advancing to the quarterfinals was frustrated with an aggregate score of 0-3. PSG also lost to Real Madrid last season, the first season Messi joined, and ended the competition in the round of 16.
Therefore, before re-signing with PSG, Messi wants to be sure that he is still a competitive team on the best stage. Regarding this, Guillem Balaag, a transfer market expert, said, “Currently, Messi continues to listen to PSG’s offer. If the conditions are right, we will continue to accompany him. However, Messi wants to be assured that PSG can continue to maintain its competitiveness.” 더블유 토토
If there are no special variables, it seems that Messi will renew the contract with PSG, the first option. Barcelona want Messi to return, but it seems virtually impossible. Also, according to ‘Mundo Deportivo’, it was mentioned that even if Messi wants to return, it is difficult to make it a reality because Barcelona are experiencing salary cap problems in Spain’s La Liga.