‘No one cares about Messi anymore’

FT Desk

• Updated: 2 Nov 2022 19:36 GMT
• 3 min read

La Liga president Javier Tebas has slammed Lionel Messi for his decision to leave Barcelona last year, saying that there is no longer much interest in him in Ligue 1.

Messi broke virtually every record during over 20 years at Camp Nou, scoring an incredible 672 goals in 778 games.

He also won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League, in addition to numerous other individual and team honours.

READ MORE: Messi is staying at PSG for the rest of his life!

The 35-year-old joined PSG from Barcelona on a free transfer in 2021 when his contract expired.

Barcelona were unable to sign him to a new deal – mainly for financial reasons - leading to an infamous farewell press conference in which Messi broke down and cried.

Tebas thinks this was a mistake as he lays into the quality of Ligue 1.

What did Tebas say?

"I think that Messi is not only missed in La Liga, he is also missed in football, because the Ligue 1 is what it is, right?,” Tebas said at the Ole Sports Summit.

“And there is no more, I think that no matter how much he plays at PSG, he is followed much less than when he was at Barcelona.

"Therefore, football misses him and we hope he has a great World Cup, because there we will all be able to see him again. I don't see all the fans watching PSG against Nantes, I don't see it. With Barcelona, within La Liga, I did see him much more often.

“I miss him, I don't know if he will have one last show, that will depend on him. I hope he comes back, above all, it would also be good for him to return to Spanish football, especially to the team that has always been the team that saw him being born.

"Because I think it was a mistake even for him, in my opinion, to break that marriage, that alliance since he was born in football, because it would have helped him a lot with continuity, like the Messi-Barça brand, which is very important for a player."

Messi’s contract with PSG expires at the end of the 2022-23 season, although he has an option to extend his deal by another year.

Barcelona would like to bring Messi back to Camp Nou, although his salary demands could prove problematic.

Messi is expected to decide in the new year who he will play for next season, with Inter Miami also interested in him.