Lionel Messi Dreams to Lead PSG to Champions League Glory
Lionel Messi with his new Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) jersey, No. 30, at his unveiling event in Paris (Pic: CNN).
Liionel Messi said he realises the drive behind Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and is keen to play a big role in its history, starting with helping the French club win its first ever UEFA Champions League title.
"That's why I am here. It's an ambitious club," Messi told journalists in a press interaction. "You can see they're ready to fight for everything. My dream is to win another Champions League, and I think this is the ideal place to be to do that."
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Now that the deal is inked -- a two-year contract between Messi and PSG -- the fans are eager to know when they can see the Argentinian legend debut for the multiple-time Ligue 1 champions. Messi has been on an extended holiday, and has not played since winning the Copa America last month.
"I'm coming back from holiday, I've been a month off the pitch," he said.
"I need a bit of a pre-season and get myself going. Hopefully debuting can be soon but I can't give you a date. It's up to the coaches,” he added.
Messi, who has spent his entire club career at FC Barcelona, having come up the ranks at La Masia, was understandably emotional while bidding farewell to the Catalan giants. He wept as he told Barcelona fans he was sad leaving his childhood club, but is also looking forward to the new challenge.
"I'll always be thankful to Barca and their fans. I went there as a boy, and we had some good and bad times," he said.
"The Barca fans knew I'd join a good club, fighting for the Champions League, because they know me, I like to win, I'm a winner and I want to carry on doing that.
"I don't doubt that PSG's objectives is to win and grow. It would be nice on the one hand to face them in the Champions League, especially with fans, but on the other strange to go back to my home in another team's shirt - but that's football."
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