"That's one of the things that have been difficult for me" – Lionel Messi given MLS warning by former Barcelona teammate Riqui Puig
Ex-Barcelona star Riqui Puig has issued a warning to Lionel Messi ahead of the latter's Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Inter Miami.
Messi, 36, revealed earlier last month that he would be securing a free transfer to Inter Miami at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain deal. He is hoping to make his debut for them against Cruz Azul on July 21.
Speaking to AS, Puig first shared his optimism about the American top flght's future and what Messi and his former Blaugrana teammate Sergio Busquets will bring to the league. He said:
“I think it is a league with a great future. Now that Leo [Messi] and [Sergio] Busquets have arrived... I think they can give a lot to this league and the league can give them a lot. I think it's a spectacular place to learn or to finish the great careers that they have. I'm very happy for them. I have been able to speak with Busi and he is very happy."
However, he also shed light on an issue that his former Barcelona teammate would not be quite used to in the MLS. He elaborated:
"The thing I dislike about MLS is the trips and the time changes. I think that for a player sometimes resting well is difficult, that's one of the things that have been difficult for me to adapt to."
Messi, who was linked with a return to Barcelona prior to his switch to Inter Miami, is believed to have unique clauses in his MLS contract, as per The Athletic. He is set to rake in commercial revenue from Adidas and AppleTV. He will also have the chance to become a part-owner of the club.
Earlier this month, Inter Miami president Jorge Mas also asserted that his club has held talks with Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez about potential summer moves. Sergio Ramos has also been linked with the team.
Alexia Putellas names Lionel Messi and 4 other Barcelona greats as her role models
Earlier in 2022, Barcelona star Alexia Putellas was queried about her childhood in an interaction with UEFA for 'EQUALS'. She responded:
"When I was a child, I didn't watch women's football because I basically didn't have access to it and in my house, we only watched men's football. So, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, especially Xavi [Hernandez] & [Andres] Iniesta, and [Lionel] Messi, they were my role models."
Putellas, 29, has cemented herself as one of the top stars in women's football over the past decade. She has guided the Camp Nou outfit to seven La Liga titles and two UEFA Women's Champions League trophies so far, bagging two Ballon d'Or Feminin awards in the process.
Messi, on the other hand, etched himself as a Barcelona legend by becoming their all-time top-scorer with 672 goals in 778 matches. He guided the Blaugrana to 35 trophies between 2004 and 2021.