Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 13:11• Mart Oude Nijeweeme

Lionel Messi has not quite found his niche at Paris Saint-Germain yet. For the Argentine superstar, his first months in Parisian service are dominated by a learning process. Mesi left Barcelona transfer-free to the French top club last summer, but has not yet been able to meet the sky-high expectations in Paris after a difficult initial period.

“At the moment I have to admit that I am still a little lost,” Messi said in a major interview with the French football magazine on Saturday. France Football at. The Argentine star player still has to get used to in the first months in Paris. “I have to get to know the city, in order to better find my way.” Messi was no longer tenable for the financially distressed Barcelona and waved the club off after 21 years. “It was clear to me and my family that I would end my career in Barcelona,” said Messi, who triumphed with Argentina in the Copa América and then returned to Barcelona with the expectation that a contract extension was in the works.

“I thought everything was fine and only my signature was missing. But when I arrived they told me it was not possible. They told me to look for another club because Barcelona did not have enough funds to fulfill my contract. extend. That changed my plans.” Messi left for Paris on a free transfer in August, but has not yet managed to make an indelible impression with the French superpower. In five matches, the Argentinian was only accurate once, in the Champions League against Manchester City.

At PSG, Messi is helped with integration by his compatriots Leandro Paredes, Mauro Icardi and Neymar. Messi is not yet fully proficient in the French language, but is helped by his three sons. “They go to school and learn it there. They pick up the words and remember them immediately. They are better than me at that.” Messi is currently playing the World Cup qualifying series in South America with the Argentina national team. Friday night (Dutch time) he came with La Albiceleste no further than a goalless draw against Paraguay. This put Argentina in second place with nineteen points from nine matches, eight points behind leaders Brazil.