‘We had it rough!’ – Lionel Messi makes it obvious he hated life at PSG as Inter Miami superstar reflects on being forced out of Barcelona

• No funds for brand spanking new contract at Camp Nou
• Spent two testing years in France
• Enjoying his soccer once more within the States

WHAT HAPPENED? It turned obvious in the summertime of 2021, following profession-lengthy ties with La Liga giants Barcelona, that the funds weren’t accessible at Camp Nou for a brand new contract to be put in place. Messi bid an emotional farewell to Catalunya as a consequence, with the choice taken to affix the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at PSG. Things didn’t play out as deliberate for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in France, as he was booed by the membership’s personal supporters at one stage, and Messi concedes {that a} stint in Paris was by no means half of his grand profession plan.

WHAT THEY SAID: Messi, who has rediscovered his greatest type and pleasure of membership soccer since linking up with MLS aspect Inter Miami in 2023, has mentioned of his previous and current: “As I said at the time, my departure to Paris was not something I wanted, it was not something I wanted to leave Barcelona and, so to speak, it was from one day to the next. And, well, I also had to get used to a place that was totally different from where I had been living all my life, both in terms of the city and in a sporting sense, and, well, it was difficult, but the opposite of what is happening to me now here [in Miami].”

AND WHAT’S MORE: In a separate interview with ESPN, Messi admitted that he and his household discovered it “rough” throughout his time at PSG, including: “This is what I was looking for when we made the decision with my family. To enjoy it once more, as I’ve done my whole career, after two difficult years, the truth is we had it rough. But as luck would have it, we’re in a place where we’re happy not just because of the results on the pitch but because of the everyday life with my wife, my kids, our lifestyle and the way we spend our time. Truth is, we’re enjoying this moment very much.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi registered 32 targets for PSG by means of 75 appearances, however did not ship an elusive Champions League crown as he had to accept a pair of Ligue 1 titles in France. He has already netted 9 targets by means of six video games for Inter Miami and has them closing in on a Leagues Cup triumph inside weeks of his arrival. He added on doubtlessly delivering a primary trophy for the MLS outfit in simply their third season of existence: “It would be amazing, wouldn’t it? Both for me and for all the people who are fans of the club, for the club itself. We want to be a point of reference and winning a title would help a lot in that. It is a very young club, it has been around for a very short time, and to win our first title would be great for all of us.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Messi signed an preliminary two-and-half-yr contract with Inter Miami when making his option to the United States, however that deal contains an extension choice for 2026 – with there nonetheless an opportunity that he may grace the World Cup finals in America, Canada and Mexico that yr regardless of stating that he has no plans at current to participate in that match.