Lionel Messi still loves Barcelona and plans to come back, once his career is over. That’s the main message from the interview the Argentinian gave to Catalonian ‘Sport’, in which he talked about his settling in Paris, but also Barca exit, talks with Laporta and his plans after retiring. He also talked about still being unsettled in PSG after two months, and also revealed his relationship with Mbappe and Neymar.Barcelona appoint Sergi Barjuan as the interim boss, talks with Xavi for a permanent roleBut, the most inevitable question has been his Barca exit and the possibility to play for free. Messi explained that nobody asked him to do that, but didn’t appreciated comments from Laporta. “The truth is that, as I explained on my way out, I did everything possible to stay, never at any time was I asked to play for free. I was asked to cut my salary by fifty percent and I did it without any problem. We were in a position to help the club more. The desire and desire of me and my family was to stay in Barcelona. Nobody asked me to play for free but at the same time it seems to me that the words said by the president are out of place. They hurt me because I think he doesn’t need to say that, it’s like getting the ball off you and not assuming its consequences, or taking charge of things. This makes people think or generates a type of doubt that I think I do not deserve” said the Argentinian.’Messi playing for free is just an anecdote’However, Messi didn’t leave any doubt that he plans to return to Barcelona when his playing days are over. To live certainly, but also to have a role at Camp Nou, if possible.“I don’t know if when my contract with PSG ends. What is almost confirmed, and for sure, is that we are going to live in Barcelona again and that our life will be there. It’s what my wife wants and what I want. I don’t know if when my contract with Paris ends but we’ll go back to Barcelona to live. I always said that I would love to be able to help the club in what may be useful and can add and help the club to be well. I would love to be a technical secretary at some point. I don’t know if it will be at Barcelona or not. Or if it will be otherwise. If there is a possibility, I would like to contribute again in what I can because it is the club that I love and I would love for it to continue to be good, to continue growing and to continue being one of the best in the world” said Messi.Laporta opens up: I was hoping that Messi would play for free, Koeman remains as coachFormer Barcelona number 10 also said that he is in regular contact with Aguero, Busquets and Jordi Alba and watches the games whenever he is able. He believes that with the return of Augero and Dembele, the team will be stronger, but also mentioned Gavi, as a good example from the youth academy. Messi also admitted that he is still not settled in PSG and revealed that it’s even worse for his wife and kids.“At the sporting level, it seems that it never really starts because I have a game with the national team every month. You have not just settled in that you have to leave again and this makes things more difficult but little by little I am entering the dynamics of the club because beyond the fact that they are here for two months, there are still not many games that I played. Still getting used to things. The bad moments were at the beginning, when everything was suddenly, coming here, spending a month and a half in the hotel and it is not easy to do it with the boys, who had already started school. We were in the center and this made the traffic unbearable. It took us an hour for school and an hour for training. The kids who couldn’t take any more of being in the hotel. This was difficult” admits Messi.(5.70) DINAMO KYIV (3.80) BARCELONA (1.70)The Argentinian’s main goal in his new club is to win the Champions League, and he believes that is possible. He also revealed his relationship with Mbappe and Neymar.“It is my great goal and that of the club. PSG has been betting on wanting to win the Champions League for a long time. We are one of the candidates but not the only one. Everyone talks about PSG because of the players it has but there are other very good teams that have been working together for years that have also signed such as Manchester, City, Bayern, Liverpool, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea… There are a number of teams with the power to win the Champions. The best does not always win because it depends on many details or circumstances. Anything can happen but if we are one of the candidates. The entire wardrobe is spectacular. I have had a long-standing relationship with Neymar, we kept talking despite not playing together. With Kylian at the beginning it was weird because we didn’t know if he was staying or leaving. He was with his things. Luckily we are getting to know each other more, both on and off the field. We get along spectacular. There is a good and healthy group in the locker room” revealed Messi.Bartomeu: ‘It was a mistake to let Messi leave’Lionel also experienced a big difference in leagues. La Liga and Ligue 1 are not the same, as he soon found out.“It’s a more physical league, where the matches are split a lot, the back and forth game is played a lot, where there are strong and fast players. On a physical level it changes a lot. In Spain all the teams try to play a lot more and it can steal your ball if you don’t press well. These are more blow for blow than waiting for you to hit the counter. The biggest difference is on a physical level” said Messi.When I asked about the boys I was hanging out with, one was dead, the other prisoner, another was wanted by the policeFinally, after all these years, Messi managed to win something with the national team. After lifting the Copa America trophy, the Argentinian is much more calm, and he doesn’t think in advance when will he retire, or even will he win Ballon d’Or for the seventh time.“After what happened to me, I live day by day, year by year. I do not know what to happen in the World Cup or after the World Cup. I don’t think about it. Whatever has to happen at that time will happen. My biggest prize was what I was able to achieve with the national team. After having fought and fought so much for that achievement, it was the best for all it cost. If the golden ball arrives it would be extraordinary for what it would mean winning one more. The seventh would be crazy. If not, nothing happens. I have already achieved one of my great goals. I am very happy for what happened and now that whatever has to happen happens” replied Messi.
