Lionel Messi says he doesn’t want to relieve his traumatic departure from Barcelona two years ago after revealing on Wednesday he would join MLS side Inter Miami CF over the Catalan club.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona in August 2021 on a free transfer, joining Paris Saint-Germain, as they were unable to register his contract in LaLiga.
Barcelona are keen to bring the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner back this summer, with coach Xavi Hernandez confirming their interest.
However, they are once again in the same position, unable to offer any guarantees that the league will allow them to sign new players.
“I really want to come back,” Messi told Diario Sport after announcing his move to Miami. “But, on the other hand, after going through what I went through, after leaving, I didn’t want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what would happen. I didn’t.” I don’t want to leave my future in someone else’s hands.”
“I want to make my own decisions for myself and my family. Even though I heard [in the media] that the league has accepted everything and everything is fine for me to return. There are many other things missing,” Messi continued.
“I heard that they have to sell players or lower players’ wages and I don’t want to go through that, nor take any responsibility or anything to do with any of that.”
“When I had to leave, they also said that LaLiga had accepted everything, but in the end it couldn’t be done. I’m afraid the same thing will happen again and I have to rush [the decision] like I did. Then.”
Lionel Messi had agreed a contract extension in 2021, but when it emerged a week before the season that Barcelona were unable to register a deal with LaLiga, he had to seek immediate solutions from the club where he has spent 20 years.
Messi eventually joined PSG, where he won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, however, apart from winning the World Cup with Argentina, he says the last two years have been tough.
“I had to come to Paris, live in a hotel for a long time with my family, with my children go to school and still be in the hotel,” Messi added. “We never wanted to come [to Paris]. It was very, very, very difficult, but the family supported me and it was a joint decision, not just mine. There is a bit of sadness for them now, because while it was difficult for them at first, now they are more adapt to Paris.
“[But] I just had two years where things weren’t great for the family and I wasn’t enjoying it. That month was spectacular for me when we won the World Cup, but other than that it was a tough time for me.”
Messi has also had offers from Saudi Arabia and other European clubs, although he says the idea of playing in MLS and being slightly removed from the spotlight appeals to him.
“I had offers from other European teams, but I didn’t even evaluate them because in Europe my only idea was to go to Barcelona,” he said. “I’m also at a point where I want to step out of the spotlight a bit, to think more about my family.”
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barcelona, it was time to go to the American league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the days, obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win.”
