Paris (AFP)
Lionel Messi is presented to the press on Wednesday (11:00 am) at the Parc des Princes, to conclude a sequence of madness that has tipped his new club, Paris SG, into a new sporting and economic era.
Hundreds of supporters must have pinched themselves when they saw the superstar, dressed in a "Here is Paris" t-shirt, greet them at Le Bourget airport on Tuesday.
They did not wait for the officialization on the evening of the signing of the player's contract, hired until 2023 with an additional year as an option, to reserve him a kingly welcome.
Dozens of fans have accompanied Messi's journey for his first day in Paris, at the Parc des Princes and then at his hotel in the beautiful districts, where he showed himself all smiles, from a balcony.
Neymar, who rubbed shoulders with him for four years at Barça, between 2013 and 2017, was no exception: "reunited again", wrote the Brazilian on Instagram.
Messi, he will give his first words as a Parisian in the morning, during a press conference followed in mondovision, given in the auditorium of the Parc des princes.
- Galactics -
Three days earlier, he had delivered a poignant farewell to Camp Nou, the grounds of FC Barcelona where he began to write his legend.
This time, he is expected on the reasons that pushed him to join PSG, Barça's rival club.
Those which prompted the leaders of the club of the capital to sign the 34-year-old striker are known: Messi gives a new dimension to his project, both sporting and economic.
Lionel Messi Enric BONET-TORRA AFP
On the field side, the presence of the "Pulga" brings Paris closer to its dream of winning the Champions League, its wealthy Qatari owner (QSI) hoping that the superstar who won it four times will show it the way.
It is a team of galactics, reinforced this summer by Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi, which will start its conquest mission in September.
"The arrival of Leo to our world class team confirms the relevance and success of our recruitment. I look forward to seeing our team make history for all of our supporters around the world," said the President of the PSG Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
- Magic trio -
With Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, if the latter were to stay, the Argentine would form one of the most formidable attacking trios in history, reminiscent of the 'MSN' of his Catalan era, alongside Luis Suarez ... and Neymar.
The debut of the future Parisian N.30 is not expected for Saturday, against Strasbourg in Ligue 1, due to his delay in physical preparation.
He could start on the 29th in Reims, or after the international break, against Clermont on September 12th.
Argentinian Lionel Messi (l) and Brazilian Neymar, friends since their years together in Barcelona, in the final of the 2021 Copa America in Rio de Janeiro, July 10, 2021 MAURO PIMENTEL AFP / Archives
If it is expensive, Messi is also a superstar likely to bring very big to the club, which has six times less subscribers on Instagram than his player.
According to the French press, PSG offered a net annual salary of around 40 million euros, along with a large signing bonus, to the Argentinian.
Such emoluments would place him at the level of Neymar (36 M EUR), the highest paid footballer in the history of French football.
Argentinian Lionel Messi and French Kylina Mbappé in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup in Kazan (Russia), June 30, 2018 Luis Acosta AFP / Archives
It is his salary claims that forced Barça, with bloodless finances, to say stop to their common history that started when the player was 13 years old.
The opportunity was too good for QSI, in a context of light financial fair play which gives it more margin.
It only remains for him to write the continuation of a story full of promise.
© 2021 AFP