Berlin (dpa)
Xavi, coach of the Barcelona football team, does not want to pressure Argentine Lionel Messi, regarding his possible return to the team. Xavi said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” today, Friday, that the Argentine World Cup winner “will make his decision next week. He should be left alone.”
Xavi, who is leading an internal campaign to sign Messi, the 35-year-old World Cup winner with the Argentine national team, added that his former colleague would find the door open in Barcelona, the Spanish champions.
“I have no doubt that he will help us a lot,” he stressed. Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the French league title holder, expires at the end of this June, and he will leave the club he spent two years with after leaving Barcelona. Barcelona have long stated that they will look for ways to re-sign Messi, but many pundits say the financial problems that initially forced them to let him go still pose an obstacle to his return.
Reports stated that the pursuit of Messi is just a cover to calm the fans, and that there is no strong desire to make an offer for him. Media reports indicated that Messi’s name was associated with the transfer to the Saudi club Al-Hilal, in addition to the American Inter Miami, who sacked coach Phil Neville yesterday, Thursday.
Xavi also said that Joshua Kimmich, the Bayern Munich player and the German national team, who has a contract until 2025, is a great player, but he added: “Currently he has a contract, but if the door is opened, we will negotiate with Bayern.” Barcelona signed Robert Lewandowski from Bayern last year and the team is currently looking for a young replacement for Sergio Busquets.
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