Sports
Messi: Fallout With PSG Fans, My Story
Lionel Messi has spoken of a ‘break with the fans’ at the end of his time at Paris Saint-Germain after agreeing to join Inter Miami.
After leaving his boyhood club Barcelona in 2021, Messi scored 32 goals across two seasons at the Parc des Princes, winning two Ligue 1 titles.
He failed to bring European success to the side, though as the French giants were eliminated at the round of 16 of the Champions League in 2022 and 2023.
That, combined with his role in Argentina’s World Cup final win over France and an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia that saw him suspended for two weeks, meant the fans in Paris never took to Messi in the way they had in Barcelona.
The 36-year-old was booed by his own supporters after losing to Clermont in his final PSG game earlier this month.
Messi has now reflected on his decision to join the French giants two years ago. In an interview with beIN Sports, he said: ‘I came to Paris because I liked the club, because I had friends and a lot of people I knew in the dressing room, teammates from the national team or some I had been with before.’
‘It seemed to me that, beyond what the club was, I was going to have a much easier adaptation than in other teams I could have gone to, so that’s a little bit why I decided to go to the club.’
After a tearful goodbye in Barcelona, the forward found his new surroundings trickier than he had anticipated, as he explained: ‘The truth is that it was a very difficult adaptation, much more than I expected.
‘Apart from the fact that I had people I knew in the dressing room and I had relations with them, it was complicated to adapt to a new change. I arrived late, I didn’t have a pre-season. I had to adapt to a new city, which was difficult for my family and for me.’
Messi’s early struggles in Paris were reflected in his form, as he scored just six league goals in his first season after netting 30 in his last year at Barcelona.
Things picked up after the summer as the Argentine legend managed 16 league goals in 2022/23, but some fans were unconvinced.
‘People started to treat me differently,’ Messi continued. ‘Part of the PSG crowd, the rest and the majority still treated me as they did at the beginning, but there was a break with the PSG fans.
‘It wasn’t my intention, far from it, to generate that break. It also happened with Neymar or [Kylian] Mbappe before.’
Messi will now join Miami, who find themselves in need of his talent after slipping to the bottom of the MLS’ Eastern Conference.
They have won just five of their opening 17 games, and sacked manager Phil Neville earlier this month.
There is another Barca legend joining the club, as Inter announced the signing of Sergio Busquets on Friday.
The midfielder played over 700 games for the Catalan giants, and shared a dressing room with Messi for 13 years.
Real Madrid boss José Mourinho has weighed in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic retirement from international football.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr striker shocked the footballing world on Thursday by announcing his permanent withdrawal from the Portugal national team, drawing the curtain on a legendary 23-year international career.
Addressing the media fallout during his Friday press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s upcoming LALIGA fixture against Valencia, Mourinho offered a supportive perspective on the situation.
Mourinho, who previously managed Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabéu, insisted that the veteran’s controversial exit should not overshadow his monumental contributions to the country.
“His decision must be respected, and I do respect it,” Mourinho daid
However, the Portuguese tactician also expressed visible regret over the sour circumstances surrounding the departure of his nation’s greatest-ever player.
“The only thing I wish for is that the moment of his retirement as a player will be different from his farewell yesterday,” the Real Madrid boss added.
While Ronaldo’s international days are officially over, Mourinho was incredibly quick to remind reporters that the forward remains a devastating force in domestic football.
“He hasn’t ended his career; those who know him are aware that he still has goals,” Mourinho stated emphatically.
Kelechi Iheanacho was on target as Bursaspor played out a 1-1 draw against Antalyaspor in their TFF 1. Lig encounter on Friday night.
The Nigeria international had previously scored in 12 consecutive league matches for Bursaspor before his remarkable scoring run came to an end against Bandırmaspor last weekend
Iheanacho restored his scoring touch by opening the scoring against Antalyaspor in the 26th minute.
However, an own goal from Tural Bayramov brought the visitors level before the half-time break.
The striker has now recorded an impressive 17 goals and four assists in 14 league appearances for Bursaspor this season.
Despite dropping points, Bursaspor remain top of the league standings with 37 points
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left Cole Palmer and Phil Foden out of his latest squad for the final Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.
However, Jobe Bellingham and Fulham midfielder Josh King have received their first senior call-ups.
Tuchel said Palmer had missed too many opportunities to represent England, despite scoring five goals and providing three assists for Chelsea this season.
Jobe Bellingham joins his elder brother, Jude, in the squad after impressing at Borussia Dortmund.
King also earns his first call-up following a strong start to the season, with two goals and one assist in the Premier League.
Defender Ben White returns to the squad for the first time since March, while Declan Rice is also back after missing the previous camp through injury.
Djed Spence has also returned after recovering from injury.
England will host Croatia at Wembley on November 12 before travelling to Madrid to face Spain three days later.
Tuchel’s side are second in Group A4, three points behind leaders Spain. The top two teams will qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals.
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