Lionel Messi opens up on ‘difficult’ PSG spell – ‘People started to treat me differently’
- Seb Sternik
- 24 June 2023
Former PSG star Lionel Messi pulled no punches in his latest interview.
Lionel Messi admitted his transition from Barcelona to PSG was 'very difficult' and believes certain people began to treat him 'differently' towards the end of his spell in France.
The Argentine confirmed his move to Inter Miami last month after officially marking an end to his two-year spell in Paris.
Messi's expectations of PSG didn't quite match the reality as the player opened up on his spell at the club during an interview with beIN Sports.
He said: "I came to Paris because I liked the club, because I had friends and a lot of people I knew in the dressing room, teammates from the national team or some I had been with before.
"It seemed to me that, beyond what the club was, I was going to have a much easier adaptation than in other teams I could have gone to, so that's a little bit why I decided to go to the club."
The 36-year-old revealed his move from Barcelona to Paris was far from smooth.
He said: "The truth is that it was a very difficult adaptation, much more than I expected. Apart from the fact that I had people I knew in the dressing room and I had relations with them, it was complicated to adapt to a new change.
"I arrived late, I didn't have a pre-season. I had to adapt to a new city, which was difficult for my family and for me.... It was complicated."
Messi was far from adored by PSG's supporters in his final months at the club. Looking back, the Argentine said: "Afterwards, people started to treat me differently. Part of the PSG crowd, the rest and the majority still treated me as they did at the beginning, but there was a break with the PSG fans.
"It wasn't my intention, far from it, to generate that break. It also happened with Neymar or Mbappe before.
"I'll keep [the memories of] all the people who respected me as I've always respected everyone since I arrived."
Messi is now focused on his latest footballing chapter after putting pen to paper on a deal with Inter Miami.
