Tag Archives: Paris Saint-Germain

Football, News

Full redrawn Champions League Last 16 draw – Fixtures and dates

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The UEFA Champions League last 16 draw has been re-drawn after a botched attempt on Monday morning, and has thrown up some cracking ties.

At the second attempt of trying, Manchester United were drawn with Spanish champions Atletico Madrid while Real Madrid will take on Paris Saint-Germain in the tie of the round.

Manchester City will face Sporting CP, while Liverpool take on Inter Milan. Chelsea were the winners of the redraw, keeping their original opponents in Ligue 1’s Lille.

The original draw saw Manchester United once again set to face off against Paris Saint-Germain, with Cristiano Ronaldo to go head-to-head with Lionel Messi once again in the tie of the round.

Atletico Madrid were scheduled to take on Bayern Munich in the other mega tie, while the other English sides would have been happy with their draws as Liverpool faced Salzburg, Man City faced Villarreal.

However UEFA accidentally put Manchester United into the pot to be drawn against Villarreal and then they were selected, despite being ineligible to do so having come from the same group.

United then weren’t put into the pot for the potential opponents of Atletico amid the confusion, meaning they could never have been drawn against each other.

The draw will now be re-done at 14:00 UK time after several complaints that the botched draw affected the integrity of the competition going forward.

The fixtures will take place in February, with the first legs taking place on February 15/16 or 22/23 with the second legs taking place on March 8/9 or 15/16. Group winners will play their home game in the second leg.

Full draw and fixture dates:

FC Salzburg vs Bayern Munich – February 16th 2022
Bayern Munich vs FC Salzburg – March 8th 2022

Sporting CP vs Manchester City – February 15th 2022
Manchester City vs Sporting CP – March 9th 2022

SL Benfica vs Ajax – February 23rd 2022
Ajax vs SL Benfica – March 15th 2022

Chelsea vs Lille – February 22nd 2022
Lille vs Chelsea – March 16th 2022

Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United – February 23rd 2022
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid – March 15th 2022

Villarreal vs Juventus – February 22nd 2022
Juventus vs Villarreal – March 16th 2022

Inter Milan vs Liverpool – February 16th 2022
Liverpool vs Inter Milan – March 8th 2022

Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid – February 15th 2022
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain – March 9th 2022

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Football, Match Previews

Man City can help Manchester United by beating PSG

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It isn’t often that Manchester City winning a game is in any way helpful for Manchester United, but Wednesday’s Champions League tie against PSG could be exactly that.

The French giants travel to the Etihad Stadium for a crunch Champions League group stage game, with City intent on exacting revenge for their meeting earlier this season where PSG earned a 2-0 win at the Parc des Princes.

But while a win for City obviously is ideal for them, it could also be ideal for their city rivals United in their managerial hunt.

Manchester United finally sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday following a 4-1 defeat to Watford, making it four defeats in six Premier League games.

A statement by the club revealed that Michael Carrick would take charge of upcoming fixtures while they looked for an interim coach until the end of the season, sparking confusion among fans and media about why they would take that approach.

Since then though, it has become apparent that Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is their number one target to take over in the summer, making it a bit more obvious.

What they perhaps didn’t envisage though, is that the former Tottenham boss is keen to take over immediately and is willing to leave Paris mid-season to take the job of his dreams.

While he is at PSG, a club he played for and captained during his career, he will give 100 percent, but their Champions League position could look quite bleak if they are defeated on Wednesday night.

The Champions League group currently stands with Man City sitting at the top on nine points, with PSG just behind them on eight. Club Brugge have earned four points so far while RB Leipzig have capitulated and already been eliminated, earning just one point so far.

If City win the game they will guarantee that they finish top of the group, while a win for Brugge agains the already eliminated Leipzig means PSG would be forced to go into the final game-week before trying to claim qualification.

That final game will see them host Brugge in Paris, with a draw all that’s needed to secure progression to the next round. But the pressure will be on Pochettino for it even getting that far with the squad he has assembled, and speculation linking him to the United job is only likely to increase the longer it goes on.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino and Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane greet prior to the UEFA Champions League group H match...

PSG aren’t usually ones to act impulsively when it comes to the managerial situation, but with Champions League qualification on the line it’s possible they could opt for stability and to let Pochettino go ahead of that game if he were to fail against City.

That would make it much easier for United to get their man and for Pochettino to get his move, while PSG are expected to move for Zinedine Zidane should the Argentine leave the club mid-season.

For that reason, and that reason only, United fans might be quietly cheering for a City win for a couple of hours on Wednesday night. But don’t tell anyone.

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Football, Opinion, Transfers

What is best for Raheem Sterling’s future?

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After Euro 2020, it seemed as though Raheem Sterling had got his career back on track after a stellar tournament for England.

The winger chipped in with three goals in the first four games, then assisted Harry Kane’s first goal in the quarter-final against Ukraine before winning a penalty in extra-time of the semi-final against Denmark to help England to their first final since 1966.

But despite that form and level of performance, Sterling has found himself on the periphery at Manchester City once again this season.

After losing his place to Phil Foden in the second half of last season, Sterling was named as a starter in the Champions League final defeat to Chelsea which gave many some hope that he would be involved going forward.

Fast forward to the start of the season though and Pep Guardiola had signed Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100m and only Sergio Aguero had left the club. Sterling’s place was under more threat than ever before.

As we approach the mid-point of November, Sterling has started just four games in the Premier League and Champions League combined. With one goal in each, plus an assist in Europe, it’s not a surprise that he is struggling to get game time.

But for England, it’s a totally different story. Gareth Southgate continues to select him as a key member of the attack and he is performing to a high level still, albeit against lesser opposition.

Raheem Sterling of England is challenged by Ardian Ismajli and Ylber Ramadani of Albania during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between...

With his contract due to expire in June 2023, it’s crunch time for his Manchester City future now.

Reports suggest that clubs such as Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are keen on recruiting the former QPR and Liverpool man, but while Man City won’t stand in his way should he look to move thy will demand a relatively high fee for their asset.

That leaves Sterling in a predicament, as he risks isolating himself by asking for a move and then not getting one.

But as it stands, asking for a move is the best thing he could possibly do. Sterling is 26-years-old and will turn 27 by the time the January transfer window opens, meaning he is in the absolute peak years of his career.

He has done most things at City, winning three Premier League titles with the club, an FA Cup, four Carabao Cups and reaching a Champions League final. He is also the player who has scored the most goals under Pep Guardiola for the club.

Raheem Sterling of Manchester City poses with the Premier League trophy during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester...

But you need to know when to cut your losses, and it seems as this point that Guardiola has moved away from needing Sterling in the team and is taking his squad in a different direction.

Instead of fighting a losing battle, Sterling should cash in on the fact his contract is running down and get the big-money move that is inevitable should he depart.

A move to Barcelona would be great from a status point of view, playing for one of the biggest and most prestigious clubs in the world on a weekly basis and trying to help them re-find their former glory.

But a better option would be a move to the French capital to another mega-rich team in Paris Saint-Germain, who look certain to lose star-man Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer.

Marco Verratti of PSG, Raheem Sterling of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester...

They will surely look to make a statement signing to replace him and with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Angel Di Maria in their ranks already, Sterling would add some youth and more top level experience to an already star-studded squad.

PSG would likely be able to afford any fee that City would demand for him and he would be an excellent addition. For Sterling, he almost guarantees more trophies for his own personal cabinet, gets to play for one of the best teams in the world with some of the best players and ultimately get back to competing at the highest level week in and week out.

It seems like a no-brainer, but whether Sterling is serious about potentially playing abroad in the future or not is a different matter. If he is, Paris is likely his best option to get his career back on track.

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Feature Pieces, Football, Streets Won't Forget

Streets Won’t Forget – Jay-Jay Okocha

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In every generation of football there is a selection of players that while they may not see the greatest level of success, are never forgotten by the fans.

These players are usually the ones that kept the fans on the edge of their seats during games, provided memorable moments and played the beautiful game in a beautiful way.

This series is dedicated to celebrating those players and giving them their flowers now, before they fade into the distance and it’s too late.

One player who has maintained his reputation through several generations is Nigerian superstar Jay-Jay Okocha.

So good they named him twice, Okocha had a successful career with teams such as Fenerbahce and Paris Saint-Germain, but it was arguably during his stint with Bolton in the Premier League that his star shone brightest.

After a successful youth career with Enugu Rangers, Okocha moved to Germany after a holiday to Europe ended with him receiving a contract offer after joining in with training with a friend.

He impressed and earned himself a permanent move to Bundesliga side Frankfurt, where he began to make a name for himself. It was during this spell where he scored arguably his most famous goal, which earned Goal of the Year for 1993 in Germany.

Okocha received the ball in a one-on-one scenario with the brilliant Oliver Kahn charging towards him. Okocha took the ball to his left, then chopped the ball back to his right and had Kahn scrambling.

Then as he wound up to shoot he chopped back again, sending Kahn to the floor. He then beat two defenders with his mazy dribbling, before chopping and changing direction and then blasting the ball into the net with his left foot.

That goal summed up Okocha’s playing style in a nutshell.

It was all about enjoyment with him. The Nigerian always played football with a smile on his face and while winning was important, as it is for any professional, you could tell he wanted to win with fun and flair.

A move to Turkey saw him become synonymous with free-kick taking, with the majority of his 30 goals in 62 appearances coming from set-pieces.

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Then he moved to PSG where he helped to nurture a young Ronaldinho during a four year spell in Paris. The flicks and tricks were still apparent in his game but he was now more mature and senior. It showed too, as he prioritised efficiency over flair.

But a move to Bolton seemed to change his mentality. Joining Sam Allardyce’s side in the Premier League seemed to spark a new lease of life in him.

He was given a free role in the side and was allowed to be himself, with the manager setting the team up to protect from if he or anyone else lost the ball.

The famous moment that most remember these days is his skills against Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium.

With Bolton drawing 2-2 against Arsene Wenger’s side late on, they looked to see the game out in the corner flag. Not Okocha though. As he received the ball short, he turned and faced up Ray Parlour and produced a brilliant rainbow flick over his head to beat him on the touchline.

The ball went out of play, but it was a moment that captured the imagination and is still replayed to this day.

It’s testament to such a talent that Okocha has these moments that will never die, because he is a player who’s talent should never be forgotten.

One of the true giants of African football and one of the great entertainers of his generation.

History may forget him one day, but the streets never will.

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Football, Opinion

Did Neymar live up to his potential or flop?

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Without a doubt one of the best Brazilian footballers to ever play the game of professional football, Neymar is already thinking about the end of his career.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger admitted recently that he can’t see past the 2022 World Cup with Brazil in Qatar, revealing that he expects it to be the final tournament of his international career.

The comments sparked a conversation about just how good his career has been in comparison to the ability and potential he had attached to his name throughout.

From when he was just a teenager making his debut at Santos, Neymar was expected to become one of the top footballers in the world.

After dominating the domestic scene in his native Brazil, winning the league in three consecutive seasons and the Copa Libertadores too he secured his major move to Barcelona in a transfer that would follow him for the rest of his career.

His time in Spain was littered with success and brilliance on the pitch. Joining at the age of 21 with so much success already attached to his name, expectation was high.

In four seasons with the club the Brazilian scored 105 goals and registered 76 assists in 185 appearances, a truly remarkable record. But he was always in the shadow of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez as part of the now legendary ‘MSN’ trio.

Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar of Barcelona celebrate with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona...

After winning the treble and more trophies after that, Neymar opted to leave the club and move to Paris Saint-Germain in a world record transfer to become the main man at club level, having been the man for Brazil for a number of years already.

But since going to France he’s seen his reputation take a few hits. The competitiveness of the league is nowhere near the best in Europe, he’s failed to win them the Champions League despite making a final and semi-final and he hasn’t even been able to win the league every season.

Many believe he’s been overtaken in the running for best players in the world by the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

Someone who was once seen as the obvious heir to the throne of Messi and Ronaldo and a guaranteed Ballon d’Or winner once their reign came to an end, now looks more likely to end his career without one.

Neymar Jr. #10 of Brazil reacts after assisting Casemiro on a goal against Colombia during the first half of the friendly at Hard Rock Stadium on...

The World Cup will likely be his last chance to get to the top of that list, but if he doesn’t win it his career will forever been seen as a big what if.

He’ll likely go down as Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer, surpassing the legendary Pele, and one of their most capped players ever. He won it all at club level and was able to win an Olympic gold medal and a Confederations Cup with Brazil, but there is no Copa America or World Cup trophy in his cabinet.

With no major international honours while playing for one of the best international teams ever, and no Ballon d’Or, it’s hard to say that this generational footballer ever really lived up to his potential – despite the greatness he achieved.

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Football, News

Gini Wijnaldum admits he’s unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain

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Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Gini Wijnaldum has admitted that he is not ‘completely happy’ with his current situation at the club.

The Holland international signed for PSG on a free transfer in the summer from Liverpool, making a last minute U-turn when it seemed certain that we would be joining Barcelona.

Wijnaldum was offered a bigger wage and incentives to sign with the strength of PSG’s squad, while also being promised a regular starting role in the side’s midfield.

Wijnaldum was one of several signings at the Parc Des Princes this summer alongside Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Lionel Messi and Nuno Mendes.

But the good form of midfielder Idrissa Gueye has seen him preferred alongside Marco Verratti so far this season by manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Wijnaldum is currently with the Netherlands national team and spoke to local media about his situation.

“I can’t say I’m completely happy,” Wijnaldum said to Dutch outlet NOS. “Because the situation is not what I wanted.

Beni Makouana of Montpellier Herault SC challenges Georginio Wijnaldum of Paris Saint-Germain during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint...

“But that’s football and I’ll have to learn to deal with that. I’m a fighter. I have to stay positive and work hard to turn it around.

“I think [not playing], it’s a primary concern for every player,” Wijnaldum added.

“It’s also worrying if you don’t play. But it’s just the beginning of the season. A lot can still happen and I stay positive.”

PSG currently sit top of Ligue 1 having won eight out of nine league games and top of their Champions League group having beaten Man City on match day 2.

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Football, News

Neymar reveals 2022 World Cup will be his last

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Neymar has revealed that he expects the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to be his last.

The Brazilian winger has been a key man for his country for the best part of a decade, racking up over 113 caps and registering 69 goals for the Seleccao, just eight behind record holder Pele.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger is expected to be a key man once again for Tite as Brazil look for a record-extending sixth World Cup title next winter in the middle east, with Neymar looking for his first title.

The 29-year-old will be 30 by the time that tournament comes around and while many footballers play on until their late 30’s these days, Neymar has revealed that he feels that tournament will be his last with Brazil.

Speaking candidly to DAZN for his new documentary “Neymar and the Line of Kings”, the former Barcelona star revealed he doesn’t feel he has the mental strength for football anymore but says he will give everything to make his final World Cup a success.

“I think it’s my last World Cup. I see it as my last because I don’t know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football any more.

“So I’ll do everything to turn up well, do everything to win with my country, to realise my greatest dream since I was little. And I hope I can do it.”

Neymar Jr. Of Brazil lines up prior to a match between Brazil and Peru as part of South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 at Arena Pernambuco on...

With several World Cup qualifiers and friendlies to come between now and then, Neymar could well step into the tournament as the greatest goalscorer in Brazil’s history.

Pele currently holds the record with 77 goals and Neymar has previously scored six times at World Cup competitions in ten appearances.

His best performance came at the Brazil World Cup in 2014 where he was the stand-out performer at the tournament, before suffering a fracture in his back during the win over Chile in the quarter-final.

Brazil were then humiliated and defeated 7-1 by Germany in the semi-final, with the Germans going on to beat Argentina in the final.

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Football, Transfers

Kylian Mbappe admits he wants out of PSG, but why now?

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It was one of the biggest stories of the summer in the world of football, but in the end Kylian Mbappe wasn’t sold to Real Madrid and instead stayed at Paris Saint-Germain.

The French forward was subject to a €180m bid from the Spanish giants as the deadline approached and with less than a year remaining on his contract it was believed that he would leave the club.

But Paris Saint-Germain stood firm and refused to sell one of their star-men to keep together a squad that they built over the course of the transfer window as one of the best in Europe, citing the late interest from Madrid as a big factor.

Mbappe has started the season well, scoring four and assisting five goals in 11 games for the French giants so far. But after going back to international duty with France now, he has revealed in an interview with RMC Sport that he told PSG he wanted to leave in July.

“I asked to leave [in July] because from the moment I didn’t want to extend, I wanted the club to have a transfer fee to have a quality replacement. I wanted everyone to grow, to go out ‘hand in hand’, to make a good deal, and I respected that. I said, if you don’t want me to leave, I’ll stay.

“People have said that I’ve turned down six or seven offers for an extension, that I don’t want to talk to Leonardo anymore, that’s absolutely not true. It’s a club that has given me a lot, I’ve always been happy, and I still am.

“My position has been clear. I said I wanted to leave (PSG) and I said it early enough. Personally, I didn’t really appreciate saying ‘he’s coming the last week of August’ because that sounds like a thief. I said at the end of July that I wanted to leave.”

But why now? When Real Madrid are arguably at the weakest point they’ve been in during Mbappe’s lifetime and Paris Saint-Germain are undoubtedly the strongest they’ve ever been.

It’s simple really. It’s a lifelong dream for Mbappe, and he now has the chance to dictate his own future and make it a reality.

So often fans and media criticise players for going for the biggest paycheck, or for not caring about the “beautiful game” anymore. Mbappe is doing the exact opposite.

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain looks on during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Rennes and Paris Saint Germain at Roazhon Park on October 3,...

He knows he could walk into any club side in the world already, even at 22-years-old. He is already one of the highest earners in the PSG dressing room and could quite easily become their all-time top goalscorer if he stayed until he was 25.

But he’s done it all in France already. He’s a multi-time golden boot winner, he’s won the league with Monaco and PSG, he’s won all the domestic cups. The only thing he hasn’t done is win the Champions League, and he could very well do that this season.

It’s hard to imagine that Mbappe hasn’t seen how the Harry Kane situation unfolded this summer with Spurs and Man City and not learnt from it. PSG are not a club that need money and therefore they never need to sell a player that they don’t want to sell.

They clearly want to keep Mbappe, so signing a new contract with the club just ties him down and ruins his chances of a future move. As it stands, all the cards are in his hands.

He stays at PSG for another year still happy, still scoring goals and still being influential. When next summer comes he has the world at his feet. If Real Madrid can’t stump up enough in wages and a signing on fee to sign him, then Mbappe will not be short on options.

But if they do, which you have to assume is likely considering they were willing to spend €180m this summer, then Mbappe will be joining one of the most prestigious clubs in the history of world football. Not only that, but he will be joining as their star man, the face of the club and the face of the Spanish top division.

He will be the man, something that he isn’t and can’t be at PSG while Neymar and Lionel Messi exist. He makes Madrid so much better and a huge threat in every competition they enter and he has the chance to pursue a career and be successful with the club of his dreams.

For once, the love of the game and the love of football wins out over money and glory. He should be praised for his decision and the way he has gone about it, not questioned. He’s just a fan at the end of the day.

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Football, Opinion

What is Paris Saint-Germain’s problem?

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It wasn’t that long ago when Paris Saint-Germain had one of the best transfer windows in modern memory and were tipped to win everything, by everyone.

After holding on to Mauricio Pochettino despite missing out on the Ligue 1 title last season, PSG added all of Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos, Gini Wijnaldum, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lionel Messi and Nuno Mendes to their first-team squad.

They also rejected all interest from Real Madrid in Kylian Mbappe and renewed the contract of Neymar, giving them without a doubt one of the deepest and best squads in world football.

They’ve started the season in weird fashion however, and there aren’t many explanations for it.

The Parisians had won all eight of their fixtures in Ligue 1 before this weekend, while also beating Man City in the Champions League with a brilliant performance in a 2-0 win in midweek. Their only blip was a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge, in which they largely dominated but didn’t take their chances.

On Sunday however they took on Rennes away and while they created plenty of chances, they failed to officially register a shot on target as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat.

The performance itself wasn’t bad, but it summed up something that had been present in the majority of their performances this season that just wasn’t sustainable in the long term.

Despite the insane amount of quality they have available to them on the pitch, PSG just don’t seem to have clicked as a team yet. Defensively the team are giving up far too many opportunities and they’re relying heavily on their individual quality to bail them out.

Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino reacts during the French L1 football match between Stade Rennais and Paris...

Mauro Icardi has scored two late winning goals this season already while it took a brace from Hakimi to including a 95th minute winner to earn all three points for PSG against Metz recently too.

Mbappe has scored four times this season but Neymar and Messi are struggling to get going after busy summers with their national teams and the frightening trio on paper aren’t looking so frightening on the pitch currently.

With that said though, it’s minor tweaks needed to really sort out their problems. While they’re not finishing their chances currently, that is also not sustainable with the quality of attacker they have at their disposal.

Even against Rennes Neymar missed a sitter from eight yards out, Mbappe missed a one-on-one a couple of minutes later, Messi hit the bar and Mbappe then had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call in the build up. Eventually, those chances go in and PSG are 3-0 up before the break.

Defensively, it’s just communication problems right now. It’s a new back line and it’s just momentary lapses in concentration that are costing them. It’s almost as if when they play against their domestic rivals they know they have the quality to get them out of a hole on most occasions.

They seem to lack the motivation to keep clean sheets and are almost believing their own hype a bit too much. Against Man City they were in control and barring one chance, they were never really threatened. Donnarumma’s presence will bring that love for clean sheets to the side and once Ramos is fit and playing he will also encourage that in the team.

It’s minor pieces and the over-reaction to the defeat on Sunday is glaring, but there are issues to iron out. Underestimate them at your peril, PSG are a serious outfit and will be involved in all the trophy talk come the end of the season.

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Football, Opinion

Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain isn’t boring, it’s just modern football

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Lionel Messi has officially left Barcelona FC after 17 years and is going to be a Paris Saint-Germain player next season.

The move comes after the Argentine initially agreed to sign a new deal with the Catalan side, just 12 months after making a scene publicly about wanting to leave after not agreeing with the direction the club was going in.

But after a season in which he seemed to find joy once again and added what would turn out to be a 35th and final trophy with the club, he was denied the chance of finishing his career in the Camp Nou by La Liga rules.

La Liga rules state that a club’s annual wage to turnover ratio can be no more than 70% but Messi’s renewal would take the club up to 115%.

The main issue isn’t that however, but yet another fallout from the Super League fiasco that took place earlier this year. The Spanish FA had been overlooking Barcelona being above their limit for years, but with Barcelona and Real Madrid refusing to agree to a deal that would see La Liga sell a portion of their equity for cash but bury the Super League forever, president Javier Tebas has decided to enforce the rules.

Leo Messi Press Conference : News Photo

Many questioned why Messi wouldn’t just play for free if he wanted to stay at the club so badly, but even if he did their wage bill would be at 95% of their turnover. It made no difference, Messi can’t play for Barcelona this season while the league actually choose to enforce their rules.

So that leaves a handful of clubs that are actually able to afford him and allow him to continue his career at the highest level.

Manchester City just spent £100m on Jack Grealish from Aston Villa and gave him the number 10 shirt, but they also want Harry Kane desperately and are under investigation for FFP breaches. Manchester United are more interested in building a young squad to develop and while Messi is obviously someone you want in your team, they have a structure in place they clearly aren’t willing to break.

Chelsea were also a possible destination but they’ve just splashed £98m on Romelu Lukaku for their strike force after a £250m outlay last summer on the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, meaning they made the decision to not offer 34-year-old Messi astronomical wages.

With Real Madrid obviously out of the running, Italy not a viable option because of the financial situation in their country and Bayern Munich never in the running, it left just PSG.

This is a PSG side run by the super rich Qatar Sports Investment group. They sponsor Barcelona as a club and currently can afford to pay both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe after spending a combined £360m the two superstars.

Yet they’ve still managed to agree a two-year deal with Messi where he will earn a reported £25m per-year net in wages and £20m in a signing on fee. In reality, they had zero competition for his siganture.

Brazil v Argentina: Final - Copa America Brazil 2021 : News Photo

The deal has been labelled as ‘boring’ as Messi joins a super-rich side who already dominate their domestic scene, despite not winning the league title last year, and is already filled with other superstars. They wanted romance, like when Diego Maradona joined Napoli, for further evidence that Messi is the best ever.

But that’s not his problem. He wants to compete at the highest level for as long as he can and when you’re as good as he is, any team you could potentially join will already have several top talents in the club. Adding Messi into a group of already super talented footballer basically instantly makes them favourites.

It’s not Messi’s fault that only some clubs can afford him, because he deserves to be the highest paid player in the world. He’s the best ever and having won six Ballon d’Or’s already and on course for a seventh later this year, it’s not like he’s living off past glories either.

He will make PSG unanimous favourites for the Champions League, a trophy he and they are desperate to win and he will part of one of the most entertaining teams on the continent going forward.

The only losers here are La Liga and Barcelona, the rest of us should enjoy him for the last few years of his career when he’s finally in a team worthy of his talent. He’s no longer carrying players lucky to play with him on his back in a constant hunt for success. This is going to be fun.

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