“I thought he was joking” – Arthur opens up on ‘very nice moment’ with Lionel Messi at Barcelona
Midfielder Arthur Melo has revealed that Lionel Messi praised and termed him the Barcelona signing that surprised the most back in 2018. Arthur initially thought the Argentine was joking but thanked him later on in the dressing room.
He joined Barcelona in 2018 after impressing at Brazilian side Gremio. The midfielder was quickly added to the first team but only managed two seasons at Camp Nou before he was sold to Juventus.
The Brazilian does have a fond memory of his time with Barcelona as Lionel Messi named him as the signing that surprised him the most in the 2018/19 season. He recalled the interaction in an interview with SPORT and said:
“[Lionel] Messi said I was the one who surprised him the most of all the signings in 2018. I thought he was joking. And I had just arrived at Barça. It was a very nice moment for me. Afterwards, in the dressing room, I spoke to him in person and thanked him.”
Arthur played 72 matches for Barcelona during his two seasons with the Catalan side and scored four goals while assisting six times.
Arthur on Lionel Messi's Barcelona and the time needed to adapt
Arthur has admitted that he found it hard to adapt at Barcelona. However, he claimed that when he had finally settled in, the club decided to sell him to Juventus.
In the interview with SPORT, Arthur claimed that he was fulfilling his dream of playing for the Catalan side. He also said he got a lot of help from the dressing room when he joined. He said:
“When I arrived at Barça everything was very new for me. It was a bit complicated to adapt, but I was also very lucky to have a dressing room that helped me a lot and. Deep down, that was my dream, I was fulfilling it. Yes, I had to learn a lot and very quickly. I had to learn another culture, another language, another way of playing football, another visibility through the press."
When quizzed if the club should have given him a little more time, Arthur added:
“I think so because I was very young, only 21 years old. I had to leave when I was in my third season, that is when I was more adapted.”
Arthur played 60 matches with Lionel Messi at Barcelona, but the duo only combined for one goal.