Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain has even got opposition players excited, with close friend Cesc Fabregas revealing some of his teammates are desperate to get their hands on the six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s shirt.
After leaving Barcelona following 21 years of service, Messi has signed a deal with PSG until 2023 – with the option of an extra year.
He had his official unveiling as a PSG player on Wednesday and the incredible scenes outside the Parc Des Princes from the club’s ultras are just the latest indicator of the special type of buzz surrounding this move.
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| Image: PA |
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| Image: PA |
“The team is super excited as no one expected this to happen,” Fabregas said, as per The Sun.
“Most of them are kids and grew up as PSG fans and everyone wants his shirt. He probably only has two and we have 25 in the squad so I am not sure how I will do it.”
Monaco do not play PSG until mid-December time but the clamour for Messi’s shirt is almost as crazy as the queues for the jersey outside the club shop and the ridiculous demand online – which saw the tops sell out in just 30 minutes.
Fabregas met Messi when they were youngsters in the Barca academy, the Argentine leaving the former Arsenal midfielder on the turf in their first encounter.
They were then colleagues in the first-team when he returned to Barca in 2011 and now, a decade on, Fabregas is excited to see what Messi can do in France.
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“Having Leo in this league is really special,” he added.
“In the last few years PSG have tried to win with big names. But obviously Leo is the greatest. There is no one like him. With him the level increases.
“When PSG don’t win the league everyone sees it as a disaster. They have spent a lot of money and everyone talks about it as a one-team league.
“I am sure the coach Mauricio Pochettino would prefer to have the pressure knowing he needs to win rather than the other way around.
“But they must have pressure when they create a super team. It seems like this is the last push. Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gini Wijnaldum, they are all the best.
“We will see where it takes them.”