Barcelona Manager Ronald Koeman Sets Record Straight at Camp Nou Following Departure of Lionel Messi

Barcelona Manager Ronald Koeman Sets Record Straight at Camp Nou Following Departure of Lionel Messi

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:49 PM
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  • Ronald Koeman has disclosed that it is time for Barcelona to move on from all that transpired before Lionel Messi departed
  • After 17 staggering football seasons at the Camp Nou outfit, the Catalan giants failed to seal contract extension for the Argentine
  • Koeman admitted that Messi remains the best player in the world, he however affirmed that there is always an end for a player

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has admitted that their former captain Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, but has said goodbye to Camp Nou, GOAL reports.

The club announced last week that the Argentine would no longer continue at the club, triggering Messi to bid emotional farewell to the club over the weekend.

The Catalan club claimed their inability to seal contract extension for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner was due to financial and structural issues.

Barcelona Manager Ronald Koeman Sets Record Straight at Camp Nou Following Departure of Lionel Messi
Ronald Koeman preparing for life without Messi at Barcelona. Photo: Javier Soriano
Source: Getty Images

Messi who had been on the radar of French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain then moved to the Paris club after signing a two-year-contract with an option of a further year extension.

Now it will be a herculean task for Koeman to re-shapen Barcelona which is void of Messi, but the manager has reiterated that it was time to move on.

He told ESPN via Daily Mail:

"We have to understand that there is always an end for a player. You have to close the book because now we have to focus on this new season. We have new players in and we have to move forward, and we have time for that.
"We have young players in the squad this season, and it's also for the future, we are working on the future of this club, and it's really important to have our focus on this and not focus on what happened in the last few days."

On seeing the six-time Ballon d'Or winner depart, Koeman added:

"I knew there was a difficult situation between the club and Leo Messi and the league to have the possibilities to keep Messi in the club.”

PSG want Ronaldo next summer

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo might finally play alongside his eternal rival Lionel Messi if Paris Saint-Germain succeed in their pursuit for the Portuguese next summer.

The French giants have already completed the signing of six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi from Spanish club Barcelona. The Argentine broke down in tears during his farewell speech at the Spanish club where he spent over two decades of his career winning several titles.

Upon completion of Leo Messi signing, reports have it that PSG have now set their sights on signing Cristiano Ronaldo who is open to leaving Juventus.

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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.
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