Lionel Messi is 'living hell' at PSG and wants to return to Barcelona this summer - Reports
Lionel Messi's stint at Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) so far has not gone completely according to plan. The latest reports in El Nacional now claim that the Argentine wants to return to Barcelona in the summer.
The report states that Messi has asked his father Jorge to get in touch with Barcelona's president Joan Laporta. While the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived at PSG with a lot of fanfare and attention, he has struggled to settle down in Paris and feels that his life has become a 'living hell', according to the report.
Lionel Messi is reportedly 'fed up' with the situation at PSG. However, an exit from the Ligue 1 club will be extremely difficult as President Nasser Al-Khelaifi will not want to lose his prized asset after just one year.
The Catalan daily states that Messi could take inspiration from former teammate Dani Alves, who returned to Barcelona. The Argentine is also ready to take a significant paycut to return to the Camp Nou.
PSG will be counting on Lionel Messi to inspire them to UEFA Champions League glory
PSG are set to take on Real Madrid in a high-profile UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 encounter on 15 February. With doubts about Neymar's fitness and availability, Pochettino will be counting on the dynamic duo of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to get the better of Los Blancos.
There were signs of Messi getting back to his best in PSG's 5-1 thrashing of Lille this weekend. The Argentine scored a goal and grabbed an assist and will be hoping to build on this performance in the coming weeks.
Xavi is reportedly open to Lionel Messi's return to Barcelona
Barcelona, on the other hand, seem to be finally heading in the right direction under Xavi. The Catalan giants secured a crucial 4-2 victory over Atletico Madrid to break into La Liga's top-four.
The report in El Nacional claims that Xavi would be open to a sensational Barcelona return for Messi. The manager reportedly thinks the Argentine superstar could be an experienced leader for the young and talented squad at the Camp Nou.
Much could depend on PSG's performances in the Champions League this season and it will be interesting to see how Messi performs against his old rivals Real Madrid in the UCL knockout stages.
The Argentine superstar has scored only twice in Ligue 1 this season. He has, however, been more prolific in the Champions League, scoring five goals in as many games.