SportsSad, I Have To Say Goodbye, Tearful Messi Tells Press At Barca's...

Sad, I Have To Say Goodbye, Tearful Messi Tells Press At Barca’s Camp Nou

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August 08, (THEWILL) – The scheduled Press Conference of former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou grounds of the La Liga team turned into an emotional rollercoaster as the football legend broke down in tears in his attempt to explain his dramatic exit from Barcelona.

As THEWILL reported, the fact of Messi’s leaving was confirmed by La Blaugrana on Thursday amid financial concerns “and structural obstacles,” which prevented the 34-year-old from signing a new contract at Camp Nou.

The record-setting Argentine, who had until June spent his entire professional senior career in the Catalan side, told the assembled reporters at the conference: “In recent days I’ve been thinking about what I can say. The truth is I can’t think of anything. This is really difficult for me after so many years, being here my entire life. I’m not ready for this.”

Although, it had been stressed repeatedly by the club that it was not the player’s desire to leave Barcelona, hearing it from Messi himself carried a deeper significance after the squabble from last summer when the Argentine tried to force a transfer after a turbulent relationship with the leadership of the club.

He brought that occasion up again as he told the Press that amidst all the speculations about his future and all the stories being bandied around from staying or leaving, he and his family expected to stay at the club in the foreseeable future.

“This year my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home, that is what we all wanted. We thought we would be staying here in Barcelona. The time we’ve had here has been amazing.

“Today I have to say goodbye to all of this.”

Messi, who began the Press Conference by receiving a round of applause, took a handkerchief from his wife to apparently wipe away tears as the flood of emotions threatened to overwhelm him before he had the chance to deliver his statement.

His full speech went by without a hitch but was a tear-jerker for everyone concerned with the club and Barca’s “Little Magician” as Messi came to be known and loved. He began by saying: “In recent days I’ve given lots of thought to what I can say and the truth is that I can’t think of anything.

“This is really difficult for me after so many years, being here my entire life, I’m not ready for this and honestly last year with all the nonsense with the burofax, I thought I was convinced I knew what I wanted to say. This year my family was convinced I was going to stay at home, that’s what we all wanted more than anything.

“Today, I have to say goodbye to all of this. I’ve been here since I was 13, after 21 years I’m leaving with my wife, with my three little Catalan-Argentiine kids. I can’t say in a few years we won’t come back because this is my home.

“I’m really grateful for everything, for my teammates, my former teammates, everyone who’s been by my side. There’s so many people, some of us only met a few times. This club – I will be so humble, have so much respect. I want to say to everyone at this house that, for the luck I’ve had, to live so many experiences at this club, so many beautiful things, some bad things. All of this helped me to grow, helped me to improve, make me the person I am today.

“I gave everything for this club, for this shirt. From the first day I arrived until the very last. The truth is I’m leaving. I’m so grateful for the care that people have shown me. I’d love to have gone in a different way. I never imagined it this way. Especially, I imagined it with people in the [crowd], the last cheers.

“We’ve not been able to play with fans this year because of the pandemic. It’s been difficult to not hear them, without them cheering my name. It’s hard to leave without seeing the fans. If I could have imagined, it would have been with the Camp Nou full and being able to say goodbye properly.

“I hope that I could come back and be part of this club in any way and help this club be the best and be the best in the world. Honestly I’m forgetting so many things I wanted to say but that’s all I can say right now. The words just won’t come to me. The best thing is to answer some questions, and thank you to everyone.”

The Press Conference format allowed the reporters present to ask questions and gave Messi the opportunity to address rumours and speculation over the breakdown of talks, as well as some of his career highlights that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

Responding to a question about the emotions he was experiencing as he said goodbye, he said: “This is the most difficult moment of my career, no doubt. I’ve had many difficult, hard moments, many defeats, but then you could return to train and get revenge. Now I cannot return, my time at this club is over. So it is the most difficult moment, yes.

“I feel very sad as I have to leave this club, a club I love, in a moment I did not expect. I never lie, I have always been up front, told the truth. Last year I wanted to leave, this year no, that’s why I’m sad.

“Barca are biggest club in the world, a marvellous squad. Players come and go, its true, as Laporta said the club is bigger than any individual. The fans will get used to it, as they always do. They have very good players, and things will work out in the end.”

Messi had no ill-feelings toward La Liga President, Javier Tebas, saying: “I only know it is not possible for La Liga, for the club’s debts, that the club cannot go further in debt. I have nothing to say about Tebas, just met him a few times, and it was all friendly. I have no problem with Tebas, me.

“These have been a sad few days, as it all sinks in. When I get home now, it will be even worse. But I need to be close to my family, those I love, and keep playing football, what I most love to do. Once I start, all this will start to pass.”

His response to what was his favourite moment in a Barcelona shirt was: “The time when I made my debut, that was my dream come true and everything that came later was amazing. I will always remember that moment where everything started.”

A reporter asked again, “Why did you have to leave Barcelona?” to which Messi responded: “What’s clear is I did everything possible, and they (Barca) couldn’t do it because of La Liga. A lot of things have been said about me, but on my behalf we did everything I could because I wanted to stay. Last year I didn’t want to stay and I said it. This year I did and I couldn’t.

“This is what [club President Joan] Laporta said, up to the last minute, then suddenly with the league it could not happen.”

To settle matters based on rumours in the media, he was asked if he had a deal with Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain, with which he had recently been strongly linked and Messi was diplomatic in his answer as though he had prepared for this very query. He simply said: “It is a possibility. I’ve had nothing confirmed with anyone. When the Press Release went out I had a lot of calls and we are talking about a lot of things.”

A touch of the personal was broached when a reporter wanted to know how he felt when the news was broken to him that he had to leave. It was touching to hear him say: “It was like my blood ran cold, I was really sad, it was really difficult right up to now. I’m still trying to process it all.”

The emotional occasion is proof that he was not the only one still trying to deal with processing how things got to this point and what life after Messi at the Camp Nou will feel like going forward.

About the Author

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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

Jude Obafemi, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

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