Lionel Messi already has a new team. It’s not in Saudi Arabia. Nor in his beloved Barcelona. The new destination of the Argentine star is in the United States and is the Inter Miami of CNN.
They were months of much speculation . It was said that Messi had offers from several clubs, but the names that sounded the most were Barcelona and Inter Miami itself.
The option that most attracted the spotlight was a return to Barça, then, after a tumultuous departure from the Catalan club in 2021 —in a situation in which Messi suddenly had to look for another team due to “economic and structural obstacles” in relation to Barcelona and the La Liga regulations—, many dreamed of the return of the Blaugrana legend.
However, the return could not take place and Messi decided to go to Inter Miami, as he pointed out in an interview with Mundo Deportivo and Sport , where he also said that, among his reasons for making his decision, was to move away from the public spotlight under the one that was in the last years and think about the future of his family and yours
Barcelona’s statement
Barcelona published a brief statement on Wednesday after learning of Messi’s signing with the United States MLS club. In its message, the Catalan club indicated that it presented a proposal to Messi after the will of the player and of Barça that he return to wear the Bluagrana shirt.
However, he added, “President Laporta understood and respected the decision taken by Messi to want to compete in a championship with fewer demands and further away from the focus and pressure to which he has been subjected in recent years.”
What did Messi say? Why did he decide not to go to Barcelona?
With these statements, it seems that both parties were far apart in their positions.
Although Barcelona indicated that they presented a proposal, Messi was clear and indicated that more things were missing for his return to take place. And he made it clear in his main phrases of the interviews.
“I didn’t want to leave my future in someone else’s hands”
After what he experienced in 2021, when Messi already had a contract renewal arranged with Barcelona but could not be signed up due to financial problems and the rules set by La Liga, the Argentine star pointed out that part of his decision was due to the fact that He did not want to go through the same thing again and he did not want to leave his future in the hands of another.
“Obviously, I really wanted to, very excited to be able to return. But, on the other hand, after having experienced what I experienced and the exit that I had, which I did not want to be in the same situation again and wait to see what I was going to pass and leave my future in someone else’s hands, so to speak. Somehow I wanted to make my own decision thinking about myself and my family,” Messi said.
“I heard they needed to sell players”
That’s what messi said, after hearing that Barcelona needed to take a few actions, he chose not to engage in that cycle, since he would have rather not been blamed for something once more or to be left as the antagonist of history, as in his 2021 flight.
“In spite of the fact that I heard that it was said that La Liga had acknowledged everything and that all was well for him to return, there were as yet numerous different things to occur. I heard that they needed to sell players or lower the compensation of players and truly I would have rather not occurred That is the reason I don’t assume responsibility for or have a say in all of that. Truly I’ve proactively been blamed for some things that weren’t correct in that frame of mind at Barcelona and I was at that point somewhat drained, I would have rather not gone through all that.
“The time I needed to leave, truly the Association had additionally acknowledged that they register me and in the end it wasn’t possible. Furthermore, indeed, I was anxious about the possibility that that exactly the same thing would reoccur and that I would need to go to the bullfights likewise the way in which it happened that I needed to come here to Paris, to remain in an inn for quite a while with my family, with my kids going to class nevertheless being in the inn and, indeed, I needed to settle on my own choice, and that is the reason it was an It wasn’t well before I got back to Barca”, remarked Messi.
“I need to escape center a little”
The skipper of the albiceleste demonstrated that he needed to move away from the steady center that includes European football, after the two years he lived in Paris, in which he guaranteed that he was troubled.
“Despite the fact that I would have cherished it, it proved unable. I’m likewise at a time where I need to escape center a little, ponder my loved ones. As I said as of late, I had two years in which the family level was so terrible, I didn’t appreciate it I had a month that was dynamite for me, having won the World Cup, yet aside from that, it was a troublesome stage for me. I need to rediscover having a good time, partaking in my family, my youngsters, the everyday and That is the reason it was a piece likewise the choice not to give Barcelona the thing”, he remarked.
