PSG Manager Mauricio Pochettino Finally Reveals How His Side Were Able to Sign Lionel Messi

PSG Manager Mauricio Pochettino Finally Reveals How His Side Were Able to Sign Lionel Messi

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:47 PM
In this article:
UEFA Champions League logo
UEFA UCL
Europe
  • Lionel Messi left Spanish club Barcelona after 21 years, but his move to PSG has continued to generate new topics
  • Manager of French club PSG, Mauricio Pochettino, has disclosed that everything about Messi’s switch happened so fast
  • According to Pochettino, a connection exists between himself and the superstar as they are from same country Argentina

The manager of French club Paris Saint-Germain Mauricio Pochettino has narrated how the French club were able to convince Lionel Messi to switch, Mirror reports.

Several top clubs in Europe jostled for the signature of the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, but Messi finally signed for the Parisians after Barcelona allowed him to go.

The Argentine player spent 21 seasons with the Spanish outfit and the world was stunned when news filtered that Messi had agreed to join PSG.

PSG Manager Mauricio Pochettino Finally Reveals How His Side Were Able to Sign Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi joins Mauricio Pochettino at PSG. Photo: Anthony Dibon
Source: Getty Images

He was forced to leave Catalan club Barcelona and everything went rapidly as the 34-year-old was announced as a PSG player.

In a chat ahead of their Champions League match against Club Brugge, PSG boss Pochettino explained why he thinks he was able to convince Messi to join him in the Ligue One. He told Uefa.com:

“I didn't think it was possible [that he would sign for us], and when an opportunity appears and everything goes so fast, you can't immediately process it.
“However, there's that connection: we both are Argentinian, we both support Newell's [Old Boys], we both come from Rosario.
"I have also admired him for a long time when facing him as an opponent, so having him now training with us is really nice.”

La Liga boss blasts PSG over Messi and Sergio Ramos' deals

Meanwhile, La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated that French club Paris Saint-Germain is as dangerous as the Super League after the Ligue 1 outfit signed Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos.

Tebas branded the French team as the “league of legends” due to the age of both players who left Spanish football during the summer.

The former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi who is 34 years old will earn £53million a year, while ex-Real Madrid defender Ramos, 35, will receive more than £10m a season.

Although Mauricio Pochettino also signed two 22-year-olds, Inter Milan wing-back Achraf Hakimi and AC Milan's Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Tebas blasted the club.

Can PSG win the Champions League? Brazilian legend Ronaldo speaks

Legit.ng earlier reported that Brazilian legend Ronaldo de Lima has stated that although French giants Paris Saint-German have a formidable squad, they are not poised to winning the Champions League.

According to the former Real Madrid forward, having a great squad is not a major criteria for winning Europe’s elite competition.

In his comments, the president of Spanish club Real Valladolid looked back to his time with Real Madrid as evidence that a strong squad on paper will not necessarily translate into winning Europe's most desired prize.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
Tags
World