For a number of days now, media retailers and social networks have been flooded with hypothesis a couple of potential return of Lionel Messi to Barcelona. The rumors intensified after Leo’s surprising go to to the Camp Nou throughout his journey to Spain with the Argentina nationwide staff, and now head coach Hansi Flick has addressed the topic.
Throughout Friday’s press convention, shared by Marca, Flick was requested whether or not he want to coach Lionel Messi. “Why not? Why not?” the coach stated, shocking the reporters in attendance.
“On the finish, Messi is the most effective footballer of the final ten years round, or extra. I all the time appreciated seeing him play soccer, it’s unbelievable what he’s doing and, after all, for any staff he’s good,” added Hansi, displaying the big admiration and respect he has for the Argentine ahead.
Nonetheless, towards the tip of his reply, Flick made it clear that he doesn’t see a situation by which he and Messi overlap as participant and coach at Barcelona. “The very fact is his contract ends in 2028, my contract ends in 2027, so for me it’s not a query,” Hansi defined truthfully.
Lionel Messi not too long ago signed a brand new contract with Inter Miami.
The choice Flick didn’t think about concerning Messi
In his response, Hansi Flick made it clear that he guidelines out the opportunity of teaching Messi at Barcelona on account of contractual obstacles for either side. On one hand, Lionel has simply signed an extension with Inter Miami by means of December 2028. On the opposite, Flick’s personal future with the Catalan facet has a transparent finish date in the summertime of 2027.
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Nonetheless, Flick missed one chance that might nonetheless match inside these contractual constraints: a short-term return for Messi throughout Main League Soccer’s offseason, with out interrupting his cope with Inter Miami. Whereas unusual in world soccer, it wouldn’t be unprecedented — different stars equivalent to David Beckham and Thierry Henry have executed it earlier than.
Maybe Flick’s omission wasn’t unintended, however quite a deliberate dismissal of an possibility he considers unhelpful for his staff. Latest stories from El Nacional level to the coach’s supposed stance on this potential transfer: “Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick is strongly in opposition to a short-term transfer to signal Leo Messi on mortgage, believing such a deal is totally pointless.”
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Lionel Messi vs. Hansi Flick
Regardless of having lengthy careers in European soccer, Lionel Messi has confronted a staff coached by Hansi Flick solely as soon as. It occurred within the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, when Barcelona and Bayern Munich met within the quarterfinals. That version was uncommon as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a one-leg format as a substitute of the normal two matches.
The outcome was a crushing 8–2 win for the German facet, by which Messi performed the total 90 minutes however may do little to forestall his staff’s elimination. Bayern Munich would then advance decisively all the way in which to the title — the largest achievement of Hansi Flick’s teaching profession, not less than to this point.
