Paris (AP) – Lionel Messi and his family left the property in Castelldefels in a motorcade, and his wife posted a photo with him from the plane to Paris. The Paris Saint-Germain chapter for the six-time world footballer began amid great hype.
Just 48 hours after leaving FC Barcelona in tears, Messi’s arrival left football France in ecstasy, while a huge image of the star player was removed from the legendary Camp Nou stadium.
The 34-year-old Argentine reached an agreement with the bosses of Paris Saint-Germain early on Tuesday, as the media reported from his native Argentina, his still-adopted home Spain and his future adopted home France. There was initially no official statement from PSG or Messi themselves. Spanish broadcasters, however, reported that Messi’s father and manager Jorge should have confirmed the deal at Barcelona’s El Prat airport.
Performance planned on Wednesday
Messi is said to be signing a two-year deal. This should include an option for another season together. Messi would then be 37 years old at the end of June 2024.
But no one thought of age on Tuesday. After landing, he should do the medical check and sign the contract. A press conference is to take place on Wednesday with the “legend of the century” (“L’Équipe”), who played for 21 years at FC Barcelona and won 35 titles there. A confirmation from the Paris Club was still pending.
But it should only be a matter of hours before the Eiffel Tower will shine in Messi’s honor – as was the case with his kicker friend Neymar, who also moved from FC Barcelona to Paris four years ago. The whole city on the Seine seems to be in Messi fever, TV stations broadcast special programs. As early as Sunday, hundreds of fans were waiting in front of an airport near the capital. It went on like this on Monday. “Le Bourget Airport, twelve kilometers from the center of Paris, has become a kind of Woodstock,” wrote the Argentine sports newspaper “Olé”.
There and also in front of the Parc des Princes, after the news that the football world has been expecting for the past two days, the PSG fans are likely to shout “Meeessi, Meeessi, Meeessi” waiting for the South American.
“Most difficult chapter” in Messi’s career
With a face mask on, he got out of his black van with darkened windows on Tuesday, camera teams are waiting to the left and right before Messi and his family disappeared into El Prat Airport. A short time later, his wife Antonella Roccuzzo posted a photo with him on Instagram Stories: a smiling Messi who is just putting on his seat belt. “Together with everyone on a new adventure the 5”, provided with four hearts. 5 should mean the Lionel Messi family, the couple have three sons, whom Messi has already promised to return to Barcelona.
Messi’s father and the lawyers had been negotiating with PSG since Friday. The evening before it had become known that there would be no continuation of the Messi era at FC Barcelona. Many clubs then reported that PSG was an option, Messi then emphasized at his press conference in Barcelona on Sunday and spoke of the “most difficult chapter” of his career.
He had to leave FC Barcelona, which he joined as a 13-year-old, even though both sides wanted to continue working together. The statutes of the financial fair play of the Spanish league did not allow it, however, the club is highly indebted with almost 490 million euros. Even giving up half of his lavish salary did not resolve the conflict. In Paris, Messi – as various media reported before the agreement – received 40 million euros net a year plus bonuses.
In the squad with the legs of football
At PSG, Messi will play with the German national player Thilo Kehrer and ex-world champion Julian Draxler, among others. The team of the Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino is likely to be the best the football club world has to offer in terms of its name alone: In addition to the Brazilian Neymar, world champions Kylian Mbappé from France, the two Italian European champions Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marco Verratti as well as play there the former Real icon Sergio Ramos.
“As much as I appreciate all the players who play at Paris Saint-Germain,” said Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn shortly before the agreement between Messi and PSG became known, according to the media, “it will have to be seen whether this is also a team, a team is whether everything fits together. “
Messi’s new teammates couldn’t wait any longer. “He’s the best in the world,” said European champion goalkeeper Donnarumma Sky Sport Italia also before the headlines about the breach of contract: “I’m excited and happy when I think about having him on the team.”