"Messi's departure had a greater negative impact than Figo's departure from Barcelona" - Former club president opens up about Messi's move to PSG
It's been seven months since Lionel Messi left Barcelona to join PSG, yet the playmaker's name continues to be a subject of relevance in Catalonia. Former Blaugrana president Joan Gaspart has compared the Argentine's departure from Camp Nou to that of Luis Figo, who left the club for Real Madrid in July 2000.
Reflecting on the two departures, Gaspart stressed that what differentiates them is that Lionel Messi left in a professional manner, unlike his Portuguese counterpart. He also admitted that the Argentine's exit has had a more negative impact on the club.
Barcelona marked Messi's departure from the club with this tribute. So many unforgettable moments 🐐
(via @FCBarcelona)
https://t.co/ori84Sd37R
He explained during an interview with Channel1, via PSGtalk:
"Messi is the best player in the world, and his departure affected him negatively, but he left in a professional way, unlike Luis Figo. Messi’s departure had a greater negative impact than Figo's departure from Barca.
“You have to take into account that the pandemic negatively affected Barcelona, so Lionel Messi left the team due to special circumstances, he understood the matter and moved to Paris Saint-Germain.”
Meanwhile, there have been a lot of rumors in recent weeks suggesting Lionel Messi could leave the Parisians and seal a return to Barca in the summer. Joan Gaspart, however, doesn't expect the Argentine to return to Camp Nou as a player in the near future.
👀 https://t.co/KDqh6cG9zl
He continued:
“I do not expect Lionel Messi to return to Barcelona as a player in the near future, and I think that due to the wishes of his wife and children, he prefers to stay at Paris Saint-Germain.
"But it is possible to come back to Barcelona for his vacations because he loves the city."
Lionel Messi's spell with Barcelona and PSG in numbers
The Argentine made a whopping 778 appearances for Barca across all competitions during his time at Camp Nou, recording 672 goals and 303 assists to his name. He also won a plethora of trophies, including four Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga titles and seven Spanish Cups, to mention just a few.
At PSG, he has made 24 appearances across all competitions. He has a record of seven goals and 11 assists to his name so far and will be looking to add to that tally as the season progresses.