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Tag: Messi

  • Old hatchets buried: Ramos invites Messi, family to come stay with him at Paris home

    Old hatchets buried: Ramos invites Messi, family to come stay with him at Paris home

    Sergio Ramos has made first signs of burying old hatchets as he has told Lionel Messi and his family to move in with him if they get tired of staying in a hotel.

    Messi and Ramos were bitter rivals for many years in La Liga. While the Argentine played for Barcelona, Ramos featured for Real Madrid.

    Spanish outlet Marca said the 34-year-old is currently staying in the hotel Le Royal Monceau where all PSG’s big signings stay while they find permanent accommodation.

    Le Royal Monceau which is situated on Avenue Hoch was where Ramos stayed briefly when he penned down his contract but has since moved to the Neuilly-sur-Seine area.

    Ramos will have to wait a bit longer to feature along with the Argentine as he is out nursing a two-month thigh injury

    On the other hand, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner has not been involved in any training since winning Copa America.

    The house-sharing offer is the first episode in a supposedly new chapter of their relationship since their 16 season run-ins in Spain.

  • PSG want to expand stadium after capturing Messi

    PSG want to expand stadium after capturing Messi

    Paris Saint-Germain have indicated the desire to expand their historic Parc des Princes stadium following the capture of Argentine superstar, Lionel Messi.

    “You have to expand this stadium, I love the Parc des Princes but it is important to expand this stadium for our fans and the future of our club,” PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, told broadcaster Europe1 on Thursday.

    The city of Paris is backing the plans for the stadium which was last renovated in 1972.

    “Due to the attractiveness of fame of PSG, the fans deserve more places in an inviting stadium,” said Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregroire on the programme.

    An expansion from 48,500 to between 55,000 and 60,000 is expected with more not possible due to the stadium’s construction.

    However, the Stade de France in Saint-Denis by Paris can hold 81,000.

    The arrival of Messi in Paris, on a free transfer from Barcelona, has further increased the global reach of the club with Gregoire calling it “amazing news, not only for Paris and French football but also sport in general.”

  • Messi to PSG makes no difference to Ronaldo at Juve – Bonucci

    Messi to PSG makes no difference to Ronaldo at Juve – Bonucci

    Lionel Messi’s imminent switch to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has not had an impact on Cristiano Ronaldo’s future with Juventus, according to team-mate Leonardo Bonucci.

    Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is expected to complete a move to PSG this week after bringing an end to his 21-year association with FC Barcelona.

    French giants PSG have previously been linked with fellow superstar forward Ronaldo, who is now into the final 12 months of his contract with Juventus.

    With any path to the Parc des Princes now effectively being cut off by Messi’s arrival, Ronaldo looks set to stay in Turin for at least the next year.

    However, Bonucci insists the shock transfer involving Messi has had no bearing on where Ronaldo will play his football this coming season.

    “I think that Cristiano would have stayed even if Messi had not gone to PSG,” the Juve defender told Gazzetta dello Sport.

    “For us, it’s an added value and I’m sure that this year, more than in past years, he will help us reach all of our goals.”

    Since Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in 2018, only Robert Lewandowski (103) has scored more goals in all competitions than his 73 among players in Europe’s top five leagues.

    The Portugal forward’s 83 goal involvements over this period rank fourth behind Lewandowski (121), Messi (106) and Kylian Mbappe (97).

    In spite of Ronaldo enjoying another prolific season in front of goal, Juventus finished fourth in Serie A in 2020/2021.

    And Bonucci, who played a starring role in Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph, is aiming to win back the title from Inter Milan when the new season begins.

    It will begin in a little under two weeks’ time.

    “We want to bring the Scudetto back home, there is no point in hiding that,” he said.

    “When you play for Juventus, that has to be the objective for the season, just like having a great UEFA Champions League campaign and fighting on all fronts.

    “Personally, though, my goal is to continue my form from the Euros, where I played a major role, and do that again with Juventus.”

  • Messi gets hero’s welcome in France ahead of PSG move

    Messi gets hero’s welcome in France ahead of PSG move

    Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi received a hero’s welcome after flying to France on Tuesday to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following his shock departure from FC Barcelona.

    The agreement to sign the 34-year-old Argentine is a major coup for wealthy PSG.

    They will be adding one of the best football players of all time to an already formidable front line that includes Brazil’s Neymar and young Frenchman Kylian Mbappe.

    Wearing a T-shirt that read “This is Paris”, Messi beamed and waved at scores of fans who had come to greet him at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of the French capital after his flight from Barcelona.

    Chanting “Messi, Messi, Messi”, the fans cheered and let off firecrackers.

    “It’s going to be mad. After all, it’s a legend who is arriving,” said Florent Chauveau, a PSG fan who has been back and forth to the airport every day since Sunday in the hope of seeing Messi arrive.

    Messi gave no details of the deal, which was reached days after FC Barcelona said it could not afford to keep the midfielder because of Spain’s La Liga’s fair play rules.

    But his father, speaking with reporters at Barcelona’s airport, confirmed reports by French newspaper L’Equipe and Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that Messi had reached an agreement with PSG.

    The Parisian club is owned by Qatar Sports Investment.

    L’Equipe said the deal would be for two years.

    It also said Messi would have medical tests on Tuesday, and that a news conference to mark his arrival was likely on Wednesday.

    PSG did not comment on the reports but released a short video showing scenes of Paris, a plane landing and a close-up of someone putting pen to paper.

    In the background, upbeat music can heard and the words “new diamond in Paris” and “mercato update” appear.

    The video, seen on Twitter, does not show Messi but depicts an image of six Ballons d’Or — an annual award given to the player deemed the best in the world — by the Eiffel Tower.

    Many FC Barcelona fans were distraught at the end of Messi’s glittering, trophy-laden career at the club he joined as a schoolboy.

    But the arrival of FC Barcelona’s all-time record scorer with 682 goals will boost PSG’s ambitions to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

    Messi won four UEFA Champions League titles while at FC Barcelona, as well as 10 La Liga titles.

    Messi is the latest big-name arrival at PSG on a free transfer this summer after coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side snapped up Spanish defender Sergio Ramos after he left Real Madrid.

    Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum also joined after running down his contract with Liverpool.

    Italy’s Euro 2020-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also joined after his contract with AC Milan ran out.

    Also, Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi joined from Inter Milan for a reported 60 million euros (70 million dollars).

    Messi’s last contract with FC Barcelona was worth a total of 555 million euros and reported to be the most lucrative in the world of sports.

    His arrival in Paris is also set to provoke a renewed new debate about UEFA’s financial fair play rules.

    The rules were first introduced in 2009 to restrict some of the worst excesses of the game, but they have been criticised by some leading figures for being ineffective.

    The arrival of Messi, who has 245 million followers on Instagram and is FC Barcelona’s most decorated player of all time, is also welcome news for France’s Ligue 1, embroiled in a crisis over TV rights.

  • BREAKING: Messi agrees to join PSG on two-year contract

    BREAKING: Messi agrees to join PSG on two-year contract

    Former Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract.

    Sports paper, L’Equipe, said on its website, adding he was due to arrive in Paris in the coming hours.

    Messi, the 34-year-old record goal scorer for both Argentina and FC Barcelona, is one of the greatest players of all time.

    The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, wept on Sunday as he bade farewell to his boyhood team, after the club said it could no longer afford to keep him, due to La Liga’s fair play rules.

    The PSG frontline is already formidable, with Messi’s former Barca team mate Neymar and young France striker, Kylian Mbappe seen as two of the best players on the planet.

    But the arrival of Messi, Barca’s all-time record goal scorer with 682 in 27 years, will boost the club’s ambitions to win a first ever Champions League.

    The arrival of Messi, who has 245 million followers on Instagram and is Barcelona’s most decorated player of all time, is also welcome news for France’s Ligue 1.

  • Saleh slams Lionel Messi over ‘crocodile tears’

    Saleh slams Lionel Messi over ‘crocodile tears’

    Former Egypt and Libya coach Mohsen Saleh has slammed Lionel Messi for his ‘crocodile tears’ at his final Barcelona press conference on Sunday.

    The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was in floods of tears while addressing the media where he confirmed that a move to Paris Saint-Germain is a possibility.

    The Argentina international became a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Blaugrana in June. However, the Camp Nou giants were unable to tie him down to a new deal due to “financial and structural obstacles”.

    But Saleh stated that the 34-year-old could have continued by forfeiting part of his wages to help the Spanish elite division side who are in a financial mess.

    “Crocodile tears are when a hypocrite cries despite not feeling any kind of sadness. He in fact feels the opposite way,” the 72-year-old wrote on Twitter.

    “Messi, why are you crying when you could have stayed by sacrificing a part of your salary due to the club’s current financial state?

    “You’re greedy, and you’re not the only one, you claim you left because of the rules while others claim they left for ambition.”

  • I’ve texted Messi about joining us here – Chelsea midfielder

    I’ve texted Messi about joining us here – Chelsea midfielder

    Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has joked about trying to recruit Lionel Messi.

    Messi was released by Barcelona last week and is now set to join PSG.

    Jorginho was left in disbelief when he saw the news that Messi had departed Barcelona.

    In fact, the 29-year-old wondered if it was just ‘fake news’.

    Speaking to TNT Sports in Brazil, he said: “I’ve already texted him (laughs).

    “I’m kidding, I’m not even kidding about it. If he does not to come to Chelsea, let him go away (from the Premier League).

    “I saw it (the departure) and I was like ‘what happened?’

    “I was incredulous. I was wondering if it was fake news.”

  • We must move on from difficult Messi exit – Koeman

    We must move on from difficult Messi exit – Koeman

    Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman admits they cannot dwell on Lionel Messi’s departure.

    Messi and Barcelona have parted company after over 20 years together, but Koeman has made it clear that there’s no time to dwell on the loss of their captain, and talisman.

    “It’s normal that when a player like Messi leaves, it’s hard for everyone, but we have to move on because we can’t change the situation,” Koeman said after their Joan Gamper Trophy defeat of Juventus.

    “We have to play well, win and work even harder. There are other players who can play in his position and play an important role in the team.

    “We don’t have Leo now, though. We have to move on and look forward.”

    The Dutchman did give Barcelona fans reason to be optimistic heading into next season.

    “We’ve signed Memphis Depay, who has shown today that he can be really effective,” Koeman explained.

    “The midfielders need to score more and the squad needs to improve. The best player in the world will always be missed, but you have to accept it and get to work.

    “It’s no use dwelling on the past. There’s a lot of promise in this team.”

    Koeman was happy with the performance of his Barcelona side ahead of the start of the new campaign.

    “It’s a really good result. Football wise, we reached a really good level,” Koeman said.

    “Neto was very good and we’ve taken another step forward. The boys who were at the Olympics still have to return, so when we have everyone back, it’ll be better.

    “We’re on the right track to competing well in the first match.”

  • ‘Don’t cry son’ – Eto’o sends message to Messi

    ‘Don’t cry son’ – Eto’o sends message to Messi

    Former Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o has urged Lionel Messi not to cry about his departure from Barcelona after he “gave his all” for the club.

    Three days after the Blaugrana announced that he will not be returning to the club, a tearful Messi held a press conference at the club premises on Sunday as he confirmed his exit after 21 years in Catalonia.

    “Don’t cry son, you gave it all but life is something we cannot explain. We love you,” Eto’o captioned the video of Messi’s final farewell on Instagram.

  • BREAKING: Complaint filed aiming to block Messi’s PSG move

    BREAKING: Complaint filed aiming to block Messi’s PSG move

    Lionel Messi’s future might not be as clear as it seems to be. A complaint has been filed with the European Commission in an attempt to prevent Paris Saint-Germain from signing the Barcelona captain.

    The complaint, which MARCA have gained access to, is based on financial facts, and claims that Financial Fair Play should rule PSG out of the running for Messi’s signature.

    “PSG’s ratio with regards to Financial Fair Play is worse than Barcelona’s,” the statement sent to the Court of Appeals by Dr. Juan Branco on behalf of Barcelona’s members.

    “In 2019/20, 99 percent of PSG’s income was used for salaries, whereas it was 54 percent for Barcelona.”

    Those behind the complaint, which has been sent and is now pending, hope to block Messi’s move to PSG, claiming that competition has been distorted by the French club’s spending.

    It states that Joan Laporta’s reason for not being able to renew Messi’s contract was that, even with the player taking a 50 salary reduction, Barcelona’s salary would have been 110 percent of the cap imposed by the European body and by LaLiga.