Messi on PSG move: My exit from Barcelona was a hard moment
The Argentine finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain contract on Tuesday night to complete the move that confirmed the end of a career-long association with Barcelona.
Published : Aug 11, 2021 14:57 IST
Lionel Messi was officially unveiled at the the French football club Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Parc des Princes stadium on Wednesday. The Argentine finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain contract on Tuesday night to complete the move that confirmed the end of a career-long association with Barcelona.
"My exit from Barcelona was a hard moment after so many years... it was a difficult change after so much time. But from the moment I arrived here, I feel very happy and I want to begin training and I wanted it to be a quick signing. I'm enjoying my time in Paris since the first minute my family and I arrived," said Messi on Wednesday.
"I am very grateful that such complicated negotiations were made so easy. Truly. I feel this club is ready to fight for every title."
Asked about playing alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, Messi said, "I am very happy, it is really crazy. The team is incredible and I really want to train and compete now because I am going to be playing with the best players. It is an incredible experience".
About the PSG fans, Messi said: "I'm very grateful - grateful to the people in the street. I was in Barcelona when the press told me about that. I've seen things from Spain and the people were already outside in Paris and it was incredible to see them outside in the streets."
Asked when he will be able to play his first game for PSG, Messi said: "Actually, I don't know. I was on holidays and it's very new. I spoke yesterday with the technical staff, so, maybe I need a pre-season. I'm going to begin to train and work and I hope I can play as soon as I can, when the staff thinks I'm okay, I'll be ready. I love to win. I want to have important goals. I know my goals and PSG's goals are the same."
On playing alongside Marco Verratti, Messi said, "Verratti is showing the best play and how big a player he is - in Barcelona they wanted to have him and today it's the reverse situation in me coming to PSG. He's an incredible person and player."
Messi also said he is "dreaming" of winning a fifth Champions League. "I have said my dream is to win another Champions League and I think I'm in the ideal place to have that chance and do it."
The 34-year-old claimed the last of his European titles with former side Barcelona in 2015, while the Qatari-owned Parisians are yet to clinch the continent's elite club competition.