Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi has reiterated his longing to return to the city and praised the work of current coach Hansi Flick......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Messi shared his thoughts during a 3cat documentary focused on selecting an anthem for the club’s upcoming 125th anniversary celebrations.
Messi, who left the club in 2021 amid financial challenges and an inability by President Joan Laporta to fulfill a promise to renew his contract, reflected on his strong connection to the city and the club.
This week, Catalunya Radio reported that Messi is set to attend the club’s anniversary gala as a special guest.
In a related interview, Messi emphasized his enduring bond with Barcelona, where he arrived as a 13-year-old boy from Argentina to join the famed La Masia academy.
“We had to leave the city and Catalonia, but my children are Catalan and I have lived there all my life. I feel like I belong to Barcelona, in our mind [we are] always going to live there again in the future. My children, my wife and I miss life in Barcelona, we left a lot of things there,” Messi revealed.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also weighed in on Flick’s impact at Barcelona, with the team currently leading the La Liga standings by six points over Real Madrid.
Messi described the German coach’s squad as “spectacular,” adding that their performance under Flick “doesn’t surprise me.”
He further commended Flick’s emphasis on nurturing young talent:
“I think it’s spectacular that the boys have the opportunity to play. When they are given confidence, they
respond because they know the club and are used to the way the club plays. If they are accompanied, these things happen as they did in other times,” Messi explained, referencing the golden era he shared with players like Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.