Image: LLUIS GENE (AFP)
“Even if I would have liked to do it, it wasn’t possible,” said the 35-year-old in an interview with the two Spanish sports newspapers “Mundo deportivo” and “Sport”. Barcelona wished him ‘good luck’ in Major League Soccer.
The Catalans had high hopes of bringing back the world champions. At a meeting on Monday, Messi’s father Jorge and other representatives of the player communicated the pro-Miami decision to Barcelona’s President Joan Laporta, the Spanish champions wrote in a statement on their website. Messi had left Barca in tears in the summer of 2021 due to the club’s troubled financial situation.
FC Barcelona’s financial turmoil also had a massive impact on the Argentine’s decision to play for Inter Miami in the future. “I heard they had to sell players or lower salaries and the truth is I didn’t want that,” Messi said of the Spanish club, who he played for from his youth until 2021. The Argentina international hinted that he didn’t want to be blamed for Barcelona having to adjust their squad just to accommodate him.
Messi could certainly imagine a return to the Catalans in a different form in the future. “I don’t know when or what, but I hope that one day I can contribute and help the club because it’s a club I love, like I’ve always said,” said Messi, who is also involved with the club Befriend thoughts of living with his family in Barcelona at some point.
It had previously been reported that the club could not provide Messi with any guarantees. Messi also rejected an offer with a total volume of almost one billion euros from Saudi Arabia. He also chose Miami, co-owner David Beckham’s club, with his family in mind.
Barca President Laporta understands and respects Messi’s decision to play in a less demanding league and be a little less in the limelight, the Barca statement said. He and Messi’s father also agreed to support fans in paying tribute to Messi, who has always been and will always be loved.
Source: Nachrichten
