"Saying he wasn’t happy is a way of defending himself" - Ex-PSG chief opens up on Lionel Messi's 'difficult' spell at Paris club

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) executive Leonardo has shed light on Lionel Messi's tough spell at the club in a new interview. The Argentine great endured two years in the French capital, where he claimed to have been unhappy, after his forced exit from Barcelona in 2021.

Leonardo spoke with RMC Sport about Lionel Messi's situation at the Parc des Princes, and admitted that it was difficult for the Argentina captain. He pointed out that the enforced change to his environment, as well as the club's UEFA Champions League struggles, contributed to his unhappiness.

"Messi wanted to stay at Barça, but from the moment Barcelona couldn’t keep him, PSG was the first choice. After that, there was a lot of misunderstanding. It was difficult for him. He had been in the same place for 20 years, and then you moved. Saying he wasn’t happy is a way of defending himself. There was the elimination at Real Madrid [in the 2021-22 Champions League]; it was complicated", he said (via GOAL).

Lionel Messi joined PSG in 2021 and remained at the club until two years later, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup while he was on their books. He played 76 times for the club, scoring 32 goals and providing 35 assists across all competitions. He won two Ligue 1 titles at the club before leaving at the end of his contract.

Messi has found a home in Inter Miami, where he has been since July 2023 and recently signed a three-year extension with the club. The 38-year-old has led the Herons to two pieces of silverware in as many years, and is the reigning MLS MVP.

What Lionel Messi said about his PSG stint

Lionel Messi swapped Paris in Europe for Florida in North America and has appeared to enjoy the switch, judging by his demeanour in the USA. The Argentine great played alongside some of the world's best players at PSG but appeared to never really settle into the club.

In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe in March, Messi revealed that he did not enjoy his time in the French capital. He stated that he was unhappy in training and in matches, and found it hard to adapt to life in France.

"Coming to play for Inter Miami was an opportunity, and the way things developed during my last years in Paris – although it was a decision that I had to make on the go because I had to leave Barcelona – I went through two years which I didn't enjoy.

I wasn't happy on a daily basis, with the training, the matches. I had a hard time adapting to all that. I felt called to come to Inter [Miami] because it's a club that's growing, very new, with few years as a club", he said (via beIN Sports).

Lionel Messi was reunited with Neymar in Paris and played alongside the likes of Sergio Ramos and Kylian Mbappe for the first time, at PSG. The quality of his teammates did not convince the Argentina international to renew his contract once it reached its end in 2023, and he moved to Inter Miami.