‘Leave Messi Alone, Thief!’ Barcelona Fans Insult PSG Chief

Barcelona fans have made their feelings about Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi pretty clear ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash between the two sides.

PSG are in Barcelona for the first leg of their last-16 tie and Al-Khelaïfi was on the end of a series of insults from supporters after arriving in the Catalan city.

One fan was heard shouting “Leave Messi alone, thief” at the PSG president, while another shouted out “Son of a b*tch,” as reported by El Chiringuito TV.

Relations between PSG and Barcelona have soured over recent years. The French club refused to sell midfielder Marco Verratti to the Catalans in 2017 and subsequently brought in Neymar from Barcelona after stunning the football world by activating the Brazilian’s €222 million release clause.

Barcelona players and officials have also spoken about the possibility of signing Lionel Messi from Barcelona on several occasions this season. The comments led to manager Ronald Koeman to accuse the French side of a “lack of respect” for talking about Messi “too much.”

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Neymar Called Messi?

Speculation regarding a PSG move for Messi continues despite the Argentine being “fed up” with the transfer talk and keen to distance himself from the French champions, Goal’s Ruben Uria.

French newspaper L’Equipe has reported ahead of the game that Neymar has been in touch with Messi to talk about moving to Paris, according to Mundo Deportivo. The report claims the Brazilian has tried to convince his former team-mate by talking up the club and life in the French capital.

Neymar has already made it clear he would love to play with Messi again. He said earlier this season that, “What I want most is to play with Messi again. I want to enjoy playing with him again on the field, surely next year we have to do it.”

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Koeman Responds to PSG’s Messi Talk

Barcelona coach Koeman was asked about speculation surrounding Messi and PSG on Monday at his pre-match press conference. The Dutchman denied the French club had destabilized his captain and said he hopes he stays at the Camp Nou.

PSG have not destabilised us, I don’t know if it was their intention. But my focus is to prepare the players for the match. Messi is a Barca player and I am hopeful that he will stay longer.

Left-back Jordi Alba was also asked about Messi during the news conference and insisted his team-mate is “100 percent committed to Barcelona” and added, “with him, we’re better and stronger and I hope he stays here for many more years.”

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