BARCELONA
Messi: "Cristiano's exit makes Real Madrid worse"
Lionel Messi says he was "surprised" by Ronaldo's move to Juventus and says that Real Madrid are worse without him.
Lionel Messi spoke to Catalunya Radio and says that Real Madrid are a little worse off now that Cristiano Ronaldo has moved away from the club.
"Real Madrid are one of the best in the world with players and a squad that is very good, it's evident that the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo has made them a little bit less good and it makes Juve a clear favourite to win the Champions League," he said about Ronaldo's departure.
"It surprised me," he said about Ronaldo's decision to quit Real Madrid. "I didn't imagine him outside of Madrid and neither to go to Juventus. There are many team who would have liked him."
On winning the Champions League, Messi said it is more complicated with more teams with resources to bring in top players. "There are clubs with more money and the footballers now move for that, the one who puts down more money is where they end up going. Things changed a while ago here and now the owners are multimillionaires. Before, everyone wanted to go to Barcelona or Real Madrid, who were the best, but now no, now every has been compressed and there is little difference between the teams like Manchester, PSG, Madrid, us, Bayern, the Italians..."
"The theme of the show was set up to explain where he was going, but I didn't see it much. Everyone has there own message," he said. "It's a decision and we have to think of the ones who came and the objectives we have made for the season," he said about Griezmann's "Decision" documentary.
"I have everything here. Since I was 13 years I have been in Barcelona, in the best team in the world, in one of the best cities in the world, my kids were born in Catalunya and I don't feel the need to go anywhere," Messi said when attention turned to retirement and moving somewhere else.
"Sometimes, we speak at home or with teammates what we will do. I don't know what I'll do or where I'll finish up. I think that I can keep playing for years. When the moment comes, I'll decide."
"The club can be calm if they bring players from the cantera and make good signings. I want to finish my contract and then we will see if I continue or not. I'm not worried about it," Messi said about when he retires and needs to be replaced.
"The idea is to stay at Barcelona. My family is settled here. Changes are very big and can be complicated."
