Every time Leo Messi breaks his silence, the world of football attends. This time the Argentine soccer player has done it hours before Argentina and Italy, as champions of the Copa América and the Eurocopa respectively, dispute at Wembley on Wednesday a new trophy baptized as Finalissima.
In an interview with the Argentine television channel TyC Sports, the former Barça player spoke at length about the albiceleste but also addressed other current issues such as the recent Real Madrid Champions League, the Ballon d'Or or his feelings after his first season in Paris Saint-Germain.
The seven-time winner of the award believes that this 2022 "there are no doubts" about who should be named best footballer of the year. "It's very clear that Benzema had a spectacular year and ended up consecrating himself with the Champions League, being fundamental from the round of 16 onwards in all the games".
Despite this, he does not consider Madrid to be the best in the competition. "The best team doesn't always win. Without detracting from them, much less because they are the champions and they are always there, they weren't the best team in this Champions League and yet they beat them all".
Messi acknowledged that the elimination at the hands of the whites with an overwhelming second half hurt PSG. "The Madrid thing killed us. To me, to the entire dressing room in general, to all of Paris, because we had a barbaric illusion in that competition, and more how the game went, the result was a blow."
The critics did not wait when they returned to the French capital. The fans took it up with the players in subsequent matches at the Parc des Princes. "It was new for me, it was a different situation. It had never happened to me in Barcelona, quite the opposite. It is understandable the situation of the people and the anger for the players we had, for the team we were and because a another year, because it is not the first time that a situation like this has happened to Paris, to be left out of the Champions League in that way. Then, if I agree or not about the whistles to me and to Ney in particular, that we were the most singled out But well, it happened...".
What most worried the '10' after being singled out was the reaction of his children. "I immediately asked what the children had said, if they had seen it, what they thought or what they said and the truth is that I did not like that my family was there and that they heard people whistling at me, and that my children were there and that they had to pass that's why". Fortunately for the Argentine, "they didn't find out anything."
He admitted that adapting to his new club was not easy, since at Barça he played "from memory". "I also had to get used to a way of playing because I was used to playing my whole life in one way and arriving at a place where it's not the same, you play differently, you see football differently, with new teammates...".
The lack of continuity was a constant in the first part of the season, although his worst moment came when he contracted covid-19 during the Christmas holidays.
"He hit me very hard and left consequences on my lungs. I couldn't train. I came back and spent about a month and a half without even being able to run because it had affected my lungs," confessed the star from Rosario, who would take a month to return to play with PSG.
"I started earlier than I should have started and that was worse. Being accelerated afterwards ended up hurting me, but I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to go out for a run, to train, and I wanted to start. And in the end it was worse". Messi would not finish picking up the desired rhythm when the Champions League returned.
As on other occasions, he reiterated that his idea was not to leave Barça. "In Barcelona it was very good, I had no plans to change anything. For Antonela and for me it was difficult." The first year at PSG has not been the desired one, with figures far from what he has accustomed us to (11 goals and 14 assists) but he hopes to "revert the situation".
"I don't think I'm left with the feeling that I've changed clubs and that it hasn't gone well for me. I know this year is going to be different, I'm already prepared for what's to come, I know the club, I know the city, I'm a little bit more comfortable with the dressing room, with my teammates and I know it's going to be different", stated Leo.
Messi misses arriving at the concentration of the Argentine team and not meeting Agüero, forced to retire due to a heart problem. "Kun is missed in everything. He was by his side all day, we got up together, we went to sleep together and the green one, yes, misses him."
Finally, he did not give any clues as to whether he will continue to wear the albiceleste after the World Cup in Qatar. "The other time I said that after the World Cup I had to rethink a lot of things and I don't know. The truth is that I think about this and then I'll see. Honestly, it seems very difficult to me, but I'm not clear on anything," said the 34-year-old footballer.
