Guardiola: Messi to ‘do the impossible’ to rejoin Barca

Pep Guardiola has advised ESPN Argentina that Lionel Messi “will do the impossible” to return to former membership Barcelona when his Paris Saint-Germain contract ends this summer season.

Messi’s father and agent Jorge Messi issued an announcement on Tuesday denying that the ahead has an settlement in place to transfer to Saudi Arabia subsequent season. Sources beforehand advised ESPN that Messi will depart the Paris membership in the summer season and he’s contemplating a proposal to be a part of Al Hilal, the metropolis rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.

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Messi was pressured to depart Barca in August 2021 when the LaLiga membership’s monetary squeeze left them unable to register a brand new deal for the Argentina captain. The Catalan membership’s vice chairman Rafa Yuste mentioned in March they had been in touch with the 35-year-old over a possible return.

“I’m a Barcelona fan, I’ve got my tickets [at Camp Nou], and I just hope that one day we can say goodbye to him as he deserves,” Guardiola advised ESPN. “He’s the greatest player of all time.

“In the final 12 years or so, Barcelona had a ‘increase’ and that would not have been doable with out him. And I’m not speaking about numbers, however reasonably his involvement in the play, his magnificence, his effectivity, his effectivity, all the pieces.”

Guardiola coached Messi at Spotify Camp Nou from 2008 until 2012, winning three LaLiga titles and two Champions Leagues.

The manager then went on to take charge of Bayern Munich and now Manchester City — drawing 1-1 with Real Madrid in Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg — while Messi remained at Barca until 2021, when he joined PSG on a free transfer.

“I by no means would have thought that it could finish because it did,” Guardiola added. “I’m satisfied what president [Joan] Laporta loves Leo, and since he left, he has mentioned [Messi] deserves to have a farewell for the necessary determine that he’s.

“Leo helped our club [Barcelona] become much greater than when he arrived. When a person is so big, you have to say goodbye in the right way. He left because of very difficult financial circumstances, for thousands of reasons that I’m not going to get into.

“I hope the day comes when I’m in my seat [at Camp Nou] and I can rise up and applaud, and say goodbye to Leo as he deserves. And I do know that Joan [Laporta] goes to strive, and Leo too, and he and his household will obtain all the love that Barcelona followers have for him, with all the gratitude and respect for what he did for the membership.”

Messi’s future beyond PSG remains unclear, however sources told ESPN there is also interest from Major League Soccer (MLS) for a move to the United States.

The World Cup-winning captain will return from suspension for PSG and be able to play Saturday’s match against AC Ajaccio following an apology over missing training to go on an unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia.

“There is completely nothing [in place] with any membership for subsequent season,” Messi’s father Jorge said in a statement on Tuesday. “The resolution won’t ever be taken earlier than Lionel finishes the league marketing campaign with PSG. Once the season ends, that will likely be the second to analyse issues and see what choices there are and to take a call.”