“I Already Knew That It Could Happen”- Lionel Messi Reveals Why His Team Suffered In The Hands Of Real Madrid
Lionel Messi, the star player for Paris Saint-Germain, has shared his thoughts after the team’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League in 2021-22 at the hands of Real Madrid.
Despite having a 2-0 lead on aggregate going into the last few minutes of the match, the Parisians were eliminated from the competition in the round of 16 by the team that ended up winning the tournament.
The Ligue 1 giants entered the Santiago Bernabeu with a slim 1-0 lead after the first leg. It was thanks to a game-winning goal scored in the last seconds of stoppage time by Kylian Mbappe.
After that, he scored again in the second game. Los Blancos seemed to be on their way out of the competition. However, a late hat trick from Karim Benzema turned the tie back in Los Blancos’ favor.
PSG, who had made some major additions in the summer of the previous year, including Messi himself, fell up short in their quest for a spot in the Champions League once again.
The Argentine talisman has now spoken out more than two months after their disheartening defeat. He admitted that he could have seen it coming since he has competed against Real Madrid throughout his whole career.
What did Lionel Messi say?
In an interview with TyC Sports, Lionel Messi stated:
“In that tournament, we operated under the barbarous idea that we would win. The outcome was a blow, especially considering how close the contest was. Real Madrid is something I am familiar with since I have experienced it firsthand for a significant amount of time, spanning my whole life. And I was aware that it was possible for anything like that to occur during the game since they may score a goal out of nowhere. It would immediately alter the course of the game.”
Messi’s greatest opponent is Real Madrid. During the course of his 17 years with Barcelona, he has competed against them more than 30 times, scoring several goals each time.
However, he is well aware of their capabilities and mentioned how many English clubs have suffered defeat at the hands of them so far this season.
In addition, the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or stated:
“On that field, I was also aware that the first 15, 20, or even 25 minutes came upon you quickly. And if you do that at a later time, the game will change. But if a strange play or a goal takes place, everything shifts once more. I already knew that it could occur. As it turns out, it did happen to us, as well as to all of the teams you mentioned (Chelsea, City, and Liverpool). It’s not the first time that something like this has taken place.”
Real Madrid was crowned champions for the 14th time after defeating Liverpool 1-0 in the final of the Champions League.
PSG is in the process of revamping in preparation for their next Champions League quest
PSG’s disappointing performance in the Champions League continued even after the club made several high-profile signings throughout the summer.
PSG is pushing on with a new initiative. They will seek to win their first European title in the next season. This comes as a result of the club’s recent decision to extend Mbappe’s contract.
