Lionel Messi should return to to Barcelona “for the love of football”, says Thierry Henry, with jeers from PSG fans considered to be “embarrassing”.
WHAT HAPPENED? The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was subjected to more whistles from the crowd ahead of a Ligue 1 outing for Paris Saint-Germain against Lyon on Sunday. Questions continue to be asked of how committed the Argentine icon is to the collective cause at Parc des Princes, with his contract running down towards free agency. A retracing of steps to Camp Nou has been speculated on for Messi, with informal talks having already been opened, and former team-mate Henry believes a second spell in Catalunya would make perfect sense for the all-time great.
WHAT THEY SAID: Henry, who played alongside Messi between 2007 and 2010, has told Amazon Prime: “It’s embarrassing to hear whistles from the Parc. You can’t whistle one of the best players on the team, who has 13 goals and 13 assists this season. Personally, I would like to see him finish his career at Barcelona, in Europe. After that, I don’t know what he will do. Because the way he left Barcelona after everything he did… I didn’t really like it. For the love of football, he should go back to Barcelona.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi was forced to bid farewell to Barca as a free agent in 2021 as they could no longer afford to extend his contract but, if funds can be freed up from sales this summer, it may be that an emotional return to a spiritual home is put in place.
WHAT NEXT? Messi is unlikely to earn favour among PSG’s passionate supporters as he edges his way towards the exits, with more terrace taunts to be expected as he plays out a second campaign in the French capital.