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Lionel Messi in his 1st press conference at PSG: My dream is to win Champions League again
- Lionel Messi held his 1st press conference at PSG on Wednesday
- He thanked the PSG fans for the warm welcome
- He is also excited to play alongside Neymar and Mbappe
Lionel Messi spoke about Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, his dream of winning a trophy again and many other things during his first press conference as a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player on Wednesday.
Messi on Tuesday signed a two-year deal with PSG with an option to extend it by another 12 months. The former FC Barcelona captain is excited to form the PSG's front three along with Mbappe and Neymar and the attack is expected to be a lethal one in all of Europe.
PSG welcomed Messi in style as he, along with his wife and three children, walked into PSG's auditorium at the Parc des Princes. Meanwhile, thousands of PSG fans gathered outside the stadium to watch the historic press conference on the big screen.
👀 #PSGxMESSI pic.twitter.com/FvqRe2Hae9
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 11, 2021
"This is an amazing and historic day for football and the club. Everyone knows Leo - he is the only football player to win six Ballons d'Or. It will be very exciting for our supporters and fans worldwide," a smiling Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG's president, said as he recieved a huge applause from the reporters and other people in the room.
Messi, who is joining PSG after having already netted 700+ career goals, opened up on his tough exit from Barcelona, before adding PSG made the negotiations very easy and smooth. "My exit from Barcelona has been a difficult change but the moment I arrived here, I've been very happy, I've enjoyed my time in Paris from the first minute. I am very grateful that such complicated negotiations were made so easy. Truly. I feel this club is ready to fight for every title," Messi told the reporters.
"Everything that happened me in the last week was hard, and fast too. It was emotional, it changed from one day to the next, there were so many feelings. Nobody was prepared for that. But I am excited about this new stage for my career and my family," added Messi.
🗣 "This is incredible - you don't see this often, if at all, for any player..."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 11, 2021
Absolute 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨 in Paris as PSG fans welcome Lionel Messi to the club 🇦🇷👏 pic.twitter.com/4bZ5v6uMQB
While PSG have 9 Ligue 1 titles to their name, the French club is yet to taste success in the UEFA Champions League, a compeition Messi has won a total of four times.
When asked about his upcoming PSG debut, Messi said that he'll make his first appearance for his new club when he'll feel ready. "The team here is incredible. There have been some amazing signings. This will be an unbelievable experience for me. I do not know when I will first be able to play and I might need some pre-season conditioning first, " said Messi.
Messi is looking forward to playing alongside Neymar and Mbappe – two of the most expensive players of all-time. While Neymar has retained his No. 10 jersey, Messi will don the No. 30 shirt, which was his first-ever jersey No. At Barcelona.
"I am very happy. It's crazy. I'm going to play with the best players in the world, and that's always good. Neymar and I know each other very well," Messi told reporters. "I hope we will be stronger together and with all our team-mates," added Messi at the press conference.
The 34-year-old legend, who clinched 35 titles at Barcelona, went on to state that he believes PSG are ready to win the Champions league.
"This team is ready. There are some new transfers, but they have been close and are ready. I have just come here to help. My dream is to win this trophy again and I think Paris is the best place to do so," said Messi, before adding PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino played a key role in his decision to move to the Ligue 1 club.
"The coaching staff and the squad had a lot to do with me choosing this club. I know the coach Mauricio Pochettino very well. The fact that he is Argentinian helped from the start, it was important in my decision making," added Messi.
Lionel Messi salue les supporters venus l'accueillir au Parc des Princes 😍
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 11, 2021
On vous laisse apprécier !#PSGxMESSI pic.twitter.com/txdJ3viry6
The Copa America 2021 winner also hailed the PSG fans for giving him a warm welcome in Paris.
"I am really grateful to the people in the street. I was in Barcelona when the press reported that people were already out in the streets. It is incredible. I want to thank them and I want to see them in the city and the stadium. It will be an incredible year," said Messi further."
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