Did Messi throw shade on Real Madrid’s recent Champions League triumph?
The Paris Saint-Germain star spoke about what elimination against the Spanish champions meant to him, and his objectives for the season.
The elimination against Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the last Champions League was a heavy blow for Paris Saint-Germain and Lionel Messi still hasn’t managed to forget it. The French team were the first of the three teams to suffer comebacks that took place at the Santiago Bernabéu, later would come Chelsea and Manchester City, and were kicked out of the tournament after a hat-trick by Karim Benzema.
Messi bemoans PSG defeat to Real Madrid
In an interview granted to Hristo Stoitchkov for Mexican television’s TUDN, Messi spoke about what that defeat meant.
“Last year was difficult for me, it was hard after a very big change, after being in the same place for so long,” the Argentine began. “The objective [this season] everyone knows. PSG have been eager for a long time to win the Champions League.
“Last season’s elimination was very hard because of how it happened, because we had played two great games against Real Madrid and the tie was lost in small details.”
Also in the interview, the Argentine living legend left a message that some fans will link to the adage that ‘Real Madrid are living rent free in his head.’ The question is, did the former Barcelona man use these comments to directly taunt Los Blancos, who were crowned Champions of Europe for the 14th time in May, or was he just making a general point, that others have made before him.
“It is an unusual season, because the World Cup is in the middle, but the main objective of PSG, like every year, is to be able to vie for the Champions League.
“It is a very difficult competition to win, because it is not always won by the best team. It is always decided by small details, any mistake can see you removed from the knockout rounds, but we are preparing ourselves for when those tough moments come, we are at our very best.”