Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are set to lock horns with Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 of the Club World Cup on June 29 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Following his departure from his boyhood club, Barcelona, Messi signed for PSG in 2021 and continued with the Ligue 1 giants till 2023. However, his two-year tenure at the French side was not deemed enjoyable by the Argentine icon.
Earlier this year, Messi opened up about his time at PSG in an interview with Apple Music, and said,
“The way things turned out in my last years in Paris, even though I had to make a quick decision to leave Barcelona, I ended up spending two years that I didn’t enjoy. I wasn’t happy day to day—whether it was training, matches, or just adapting to everything.”
Now, as the Inter Miami captain prepares to face his former club, pundit Jerome Rothen, who played for PSG from 2004 to 2010, has given harsh criticism of Messi and his days at PSG.
What did former PSG star say about Lionel Messi ahead of Club World Cup clash?
Speaking ahead of Inter Miami’s match against PSG, Rothen dismissed Messi’s issues at the Parc des Princes, while slamming (comments via GOAL) the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s absence from the Olympics last year.
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“His story and the fact that his family was unhappy, do you know where they lived? You know Paris and the surrounding area, they lived in Neuilly in a 500m2 house, protected from everyone and with a private school for his children. And you think that there, he was screwed. No, don’t make us believe that!” he said.
“I did all of Leo Messi’s matches at the Parc des Princes, I didn’t miss a single one. Even that was a load of bullsh*t. Of course, when he has the ball at his feet, all the lights come on and the stadium lights up because this guy is a genius and has incredible talent.”
“But really! Let the fans come with their whistles that they bought for the Olympics to boo Leo Messi with Argentina, but since he wet himself, he didn’t come. At least there will be an opportunity in the United States,” Rothen concluded.
This is also the first time Inter Miami and PSG will be playing against each other in a competitive match, which is quite crucial for both sides as they will be fighting for their first-ever Club World Cup title.
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