Messi cries describing ‘most difficult’ moment in soccer career

Renowned Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi struggled to hold back his emotions on Sunday as he described leaving FC Barcelona as the “most difficult” moment of his career, The Associated Press reported.

“In these last few days I was thinking about what I would say today, but to be honest I couldn’t come up with anything. I was blocked, like I still am right now,” Messi said, according to the AP. “I was convinced that we would remain with the club, which is our home.”

Messi, who had been with the soccer club for over 20 years, had tried to stay with the team, even agreeing to take a 50 percent reduction in pay, Reuters reported. However, the deal was ultimately not possible due to La Liga’s financial fair play regulations.

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled,” Barcelona said in a statement on Thursday.

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life,” the club continued.

“It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m leaving this club, that my life will be changing completely. It will be a difficult change for me and especially for my family. But we have to accept it and move on,” an emotional Messi said on Sunday during a news conference, according to the AP.

Messi said he did not have a deal with any clubs but acknowledged that he had received several offers. He said it was “a possibility” he could join the French club, Paris Saint-German (PSG), the wire service noted.

The AP reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed source, that the PSG and Messi were in negotiations over a possible contract priced at roughly $29.5 million per year. 

Messi is reportedly traveling on Sunday or Monday to Paris to finalize a deal with PSG, L’Equipe newspaper noted, according to Reuters. 

In a PSG club spokesperson told Reuters “We are not in a position to confirm anything,” regarding L’Equipe’s reporting.

The Hill has reached out Paris Saint-German for comment.