Messi ‘impatient’ to get started with new chapter at Paris St-Germain
Lionel Messi is impatient to start work on the task of winning trophies with Paris St-Germain after his stunning departure from Barcelona.
The 34-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the option of a third at the Ligue 1 club after his 21-year stay at the Catalan outfit came to an end.
“I am very happy. You all know about my exit from Barcelona and it has been a very hard moment after so many years. It was a difficult change after so long a time,” he told a press conference at the Parc de Princes in the French capital on Wednesday.
“But the moment I arrived here I felt very happy and I really want to begin the training sessions, I want it to be quick.
“My only will now is to begin the training sessions. I want to work with the staff and team-mates and begin this new moment of my life.
“I have this will to play. I am really impatient. I still want to win, as I did the first moment of my career.
“I feel this club is ready to fight for all the trophies. This is my goal, I want to keep growing and keep winning titles and that is why I came to this club.
“I really hope we can make it happen.”
Messi admits he has considered the prospect of having to face Barcelona if PSG are drawn against them in the Champions League.
“Barcelona is my home, I have been there since I was a kid and I’ve lived so many things there,” the Argentina international said.
“I don’t know if we are going to face each other – it would be very nice to go back to Barcelona.
“It will be very strange to play at home there in Barcelona with another shirt but it can happen and we will see.”
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said the signing of Messi represented a significant statement.
“This is an amazing and historic day for the club, for the football world and for us,” he said.
“It is amazing what we tried to achieve. On the first day we (the Qatari ownership) started here at the club 10 years go people were saying, ‘What are they going to do with their project?’.
“We had high ambitions and we are very proud of where we are today.
“There was a great desire on both sides to make this happen. This is just the start and the hard work will start now.”
Al-Khelaifi believes the arrival of Messi will be decisive in keeping
22-year-old France striker Kylian Mbappe, whose contract expires next year.
“He wanted a competitive team and I think we have the most competitive in the world so there is no excuse for him now, he can’t do anything else but stay,” added the president, who defended the club’s spending.
“What you as a media need to focus on is not only the negative side but the positive side he (Messi) will bring to the club.
“We checked with our financial people and knew that we could sign him.
“Through it all we look at Financial Fair Play and always we will fulfil Financial Fair Play regulations.”
Source: GNA