‘We had a good discussion’ – Pochettino comments on Messi to PSG

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 19 May 2021 11:24 BST
• 2 min read

Lionel Messi’s Barcelona future remains uncertain, and Mauricio Pochettino has dropped some cryptic comments on his countryman.

Frustrations appear to have simmered after Messi’s very public falling out with the Barcelona hierarchy in the summer, but the No.10 has delayed a decision on his playing future until the end of the campaign.

PSG have been seen as the most likely landing spot for Messi should he leave the Camp Nou, and Pochettino didn’t do much to distance the club from the rumours.

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon what’s happening with Messi,” he told Cadena Ser.

“But I don’t like to talk about players who are not in my squad. There are a lot of rumours and PSG work every year to improve the team.

“There is only a little time left before everything starts to move.”

Pochettino’s men earned a place in the Champions League semi-finals during the week, stunning Bayern Munich in a brilliant quarter-final tie.

But prior to that, PSG had dumped Messi and Barcelona out of the competition at the Round of 16 stage, with a first leg Kylian Mbappe hat-trick dominating headlines.

Lionel Messi La Liga stats in 2020/21

Many saw that defeat as potentially the last straw for Messi and the precursor to his move to Paris, but since then the six-time Ballon d’Or winner has hauled the Blaugrana back into the La Liga title race.

Pochettino admitted to speaking to Messi over the course of that tie, saying “we had a good discussion” along with Jordi Alba, Neymar and Rafinha.

It obviously comes as no shock that a manager of a top club would be looking to strengthen his squad with Messi, but Pochettino’s comments are certainly interesting, simultaneously affirming his confidence in holding onto both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

While the 33-year-old does seem to have regained his joy at Barcelona, the possibility of a move still lingers and Pochettino looks to be keen.

PSG’s Champions League fate – and Barca’s in La Liga – could contribute to Messi’s final decision, one that is sure to reverberate through European football regardless of its direction.