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Angel Di Maria has been talking about Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and has explained what sets the Argentine apart from other superstars such as Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward has played with all three attackers during his career and was asked in an interview with beIN Sports about who is the strongest. Di Maria made it clear that Messi is still a cut above the rest.
“Leo, it’s Leo,” he explained, “He does amazing things, it’s natural. It’s impossible to choose someone else. My whole career, I’ve never seen a player like Messi. He’s from another planet.”
Di Maria currently plays alongside Neymar at PSG and was a team-mate of Ronaldo’s during the duo’s time together at Real Madrid. The forward has played with Messi at international level for Argentina and recently came up against the Barca captain in the Champions League with PSG.
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Di Maria Talks Messi Future
The PSG star also reiterated his desire to play alongside Messi. The Barcelona captain has been linked with a move to the Parc des Princes this season, and Di Maria would be happy to see him in the French capital.
“To have him as a teammate would be wonderful. But he’s a Barcelona player, he has a contract. Then we’ll see,” he said. “I talk a lot with him and I always tell him that the important thing is his happiness. and that of his family. It’s hard to say anything else…”
It’s still not clear what Messi will do in the summer. His contract at Barcelona expires at the end of the season, meaning he will be able to walk away as a free agent if he does not extend before then.
The 33-year-old did ask to leave last summer but much has changed since then. Ronald Koeman has arrived as coach, Joan Laporta has replaced Josep Maria Bartomeu as president, and promising youngsters such as Ansu Fati, Ilaix Moriba, Pedri, and Sergino Dest have all made an impact at the Camp Nou this season.
Messi Set to Stay?
Barcelona could also pick up two trophies this season despite enduring a difficult start under Koeman. The Catalan giants remain in contention in La Liga with 10 games left and play Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on April 17.
Former Barcelona scount Andre Cury has told Radio Continental he believes Messi will now stay at the Camp Nou and extend his contract, as reported by Marca.
“I am almost certain that Leo is going to stay at Barcelona,” he said. “He is going to be happy there again and there will be a new team that will play well, and in one or two years he will be number one in the world again.”
Cury also added that he feels Laporta’s return to the club for a second term as president will be crucial in keeping Messi with the Catalan giants.
“What bothered him is that he wanted a competitive team. And the truth is that the club told him they were going to do it; that they were going to do one thing and they did another. Leo was left out of it,” he explained. “I know Messi’s history at Barcelona. He had a very good relationship with Laporta and now he’s back. There are a lot of positive things [happening at the club].”
Laporta is reportedly preparing a contract offer for Messi and will meet with the captain in the coming weeks to explain the terms of the deal and hopefully reach an agreement between both parties.
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