One of Lionel Messi's PSG teammates has opened up about the treatment of players at the French club after the superstar ended his spell at the club after two years.
The Argentinian icon's compatriot Leandro Parades turned out alongside the 35-year-old on multiple occasions for his country down the years before the pair were reunited in the French capital in 2021. The superstar forward arrived to predictably significant fanfare but will now depart after two seasons, with his stint ending under a cloud.
The veteran striker was able to win two Ligue 1 titles to bring his total career honours haul to a staggering 34 major trophies but a parting of ways did appear inevitable towards the end of 2022-23. Messi then subsequently announced that he would be joining MLS franchise Inter Miami at the end of his contract at PSG.
Although the former Barcelona legend struggled to match the form of previous seasons in his first campaign at PSG, his second season was more of a success with the diminutive forward scoring 21 times in 41 appearances in all competitions. That said, his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia before the end of the season did seem to sour relations with the club and he was fined and suspended as a result.
Despite having a plethora of world class talents at their disposal, coaches were unable to inspire the Parc des Princes club to the holy grail of a maiden Champions League title during Messi's time at the club. The combination of the World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar was the envy of many clubs around Europe but the club was unable to translate its domestic success into a triumph on the European stage.
Now, soon-to-be-former club teammate Parades has hinted that the atmosphere in and around the club towards the players may have contributed to Messi's departure. The midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Italian giants Juventus explained that he enjoyed his time in Paris but that this hostile environment left him perplexed.
When asked by TyC Sports for insight into the treatment PSG players during this period he said: “I don’t know, I had to spend four years in Paris and I enjoyed it a lot. We played important things, we were very close to winning the Champions League, but afterward, I can’t explain why the treatment and reaction towards us.”
This comes after it emerged that Messi had privately advised fellow superstar striker Mbappe to seek out a more successful club in the future when he eventually looks to leave Paris. According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, he implored the 24-year-old to join one of Europe's true heavyweights.
A legend at Camp Nou, it comes as no surprise that the incoming MLS star was quick to suggest Barcelona as a possible option to the prolific marksman. However, he did also concede that old nemeses Real Madrid could also tick a lot of boxes for the player if he is to leave the French capital, allegedly saying "I prefer that you go to Barça but if you want to go to Madrid, do it, you deserve a real winning project."
Mbappe has, of course, been linked with a move away from Parc Des Princes during successive transfer windows and has already revealed that he will leave the club at the end of his current contract in 2024.
