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United States Lionel Messi at centre of tug of war as Barcelona hopes of sensational return renewed
Lionel Messi has found himself at the centre of a tug of war over his future with his family at odds over his club career.
The Argentine superstar completed a high-profile summer transfer to join Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona but things have not gone entirely to plan.
Messi has found the net just once so far in Ligue 1 this campaign and has failed to replicate his Barca form in the French capital.
Yet fresh reports suggest that it is off the pitch where things are more difficult for the 34-year-old at the moment with his family said to not have settled in Paris.
It is claimed that Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo is not enjoying life in France and has even told her husband that she would prefer to return to Barcelona.
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It reported by El Nacional that Messi’s children have not adapted to life in Paris but his wife Antonela is said to be particularly keen for an exit from the French capital.
They do not like the wind and rain that marks the Parisian weather while they are also struggling to adapt to speaking French rather than their native Spanish.
The report adds that Antonela wishes she could go back to their old home Castelldefels, Catalonia, where the family were happy.
She is said to be particularly keen to return for the shopping in the Catalan capital and for her children to get back in touch with their old friends.
Not only is Messi’s wife said to be pressuring him to return to Barcelona but the Blaugrana’s new boss Xavi Hernandez and new signing Dani Alves – both of whom were former teammates of the superstar – are also trying to persuade him to complete a sensational return.
However, Messi’s father and agent Jorge is said to have ruled out such a possible.
Jorge Messi allegedly feels betrayed by Barcelona and its president Joan Laporta, who broke off contract renewal talks over summer at the last minute to inform him that the player could not stay.
It is said that Jorge does not trust Laporta’s reasoning that the club were unable to register Messi, and has pointed to subsequent player registrations and multiple signings in January.
Last month, Luis Suarez – another former Barca star and close friend of Messi – admitted that the Argentine was ‘suffering’ in the French capital.
Suarez explained: "We talk every day, we always try to avoid expectations because we are players and we know how we have to act in those moments, we talk about the games, about the family.
"He told me that when he is playing in the cold, he suffers a lot and with the snow.
"You have to get used to what the cold weather there is like, sure."
Messi’s contract at the Parc des Princes runs through until the summer of 2023 and there appears to be deep uncertainty over where his club future lies beyond that date.
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