06 April,2023 06:53 PM IST | Paris | mid-day online correspondent
Lionel Messi (Pic: AFP)
When Lionel Messi was whistled by his own supporters and jeered at after Paris Saint-Germain went down 1-0 against Lyon on Sunday, their relationship appeared like it had reached a breaking point. The former Barcelona forward has frequently been targetted by whistles from a legion of fans who have grown tired with the uncertainty over his expiring contract.
It was the side's seventh defeat of 2023 already, which saw another failure in the UEFA Champions League. Messi joined the club on a two-year deal after parting ways with Barcelona in 2021, and is facing a massive crisis with his contract set to expire at the end of June. But if reports are to be believed, Messi's departure this summer looks increasingly inevitable. Fans rode on expectations he could lead PSG to a Champions League title, however, the club crashed out in the round of 16 in consecutive seasons.
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PSG coach Christophe Galtier defended Messi by saying it was others who should raise their game.
"You can't expect Leo to do everything. The boos are very harsh. He's a player who gives a lot, who gave a lot in the first half of the season. But it's also down to the others to surpass themselves," Galtier said after the match.
As its array of stars returned from the World Cup, PSG has lost eight games overall in 2023. Others have played far worse than Messi. Yet, fans seem to primarily blame the Argentina star for the alarming slump, perhaps in the belief that his previous form was motivated purely by his quest to win the World Cup, which he did as the tournament's best player.
Messi has cut a distant figure since PSG was eliminated 3-0 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the Champions League last month. If the next nine French league games are to be Messi's final appearances donning the PSG jersey, here's a look at where the 35-year-old superstar could go next.
When Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018, it brought the curtain down on the most fascinating player rivalry in modern soccer history. After years of competing for supremacy with Messi at Barcelona, he moved to Juventus. Ronaldo turned heads after joining Al Nassr in Riyadh in December last year. Ever since, speculation was rife that Messi could be heading to the Middle East as well to city rival Al Hilal which is reportedly prepared to offer a record-breaking salary. Messi played against Ronaldo in January for PSG in an exhibition game in Riyadh against a combined XI from Al Nassr and Al Hilal.
Barcelona coach Xavi played alongside Messi when the Spanish club ruled European soccer under heralded coach Pep Guardiola. He repeated on Friday saying that he wants Messi to return to the club for next season. Speculation about a possible return to Barca for Messi has been growing in recent weeks, and declarations from Barca vice-president Rafa Yuste, who commented 'destiny is wise' when asked about the Argentinean, have only served to fuel that speculation, reports Xinhua.
"It depends on many factors. We must see what the financial fair play rules allow us to do. But I think the most important factor will be Leo's desire to come back here. Leo knows this is his home and that our doors are open, and that we will be delighted if he decides to come back," Xavi said.
Messi was linked with a move to Manchester City to reunite with his former mentor Pep Guardiola when he was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021. But the presence of a prolific scorer in Erling Haaland and playmaker Kevin De Bruyne played down the speculations.
As it stands out, the physical demands would be much lesser in the MLS, with Inter Miami a potential destination if Messi decides to follow the example of David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and play in the United States. Beckham's Inter Miami could not possibly match the Saudi salary offer but, according to British newspaper The Independent, one way around that would be to give Messi an equity stake in the franchise.
(With AP inputs)
