Former Barcelona midfielder and club legend Andres Iniesta has opened up on Lionel Messi’s decision to snub a return to the club this summer in favour of a transfer to Inter Miami.
Messi was heavily linked with a move back to Barça this summer with his contract at PSG expiring. Talks were held between the two parties and for a while it seemed that a move could be possible.
Ultimately, though, the 36-year-old opted to sign for Inter Miami instead, having not received guarantees about his registration if he were to return to Barcelona.
And Iniesta has given his two cents on his former teammate’s move, stating that it would have been nice if Messi was back at Barça, but the Argentine did what he felt was the best for him.
“It would have been nice, special for what it means, but in the end, everyone looks for the best option, what they think will be good for them and, from there, they will probably live a different experience to what they have lived before,” Iniesta said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
“If it’s what he was looking forward to and what he wanted, I’m sure it will go well, as it did well in all the places he’s been.”
The former Barcelona midfielder, who recently bid goodbye to Vissel Kobe, also gave his thoughts on the current Blaugrana team under Xavi Hernandez, saying:
“I think that the upward trend since Xavi arrived has been very positive. I’m looking forward to them continuing to take steps forward and I’m confident that this will also be the case with the new players who will be arriving.”
Pedri is the beating heart of this Barcelona side and has drawn a lot of comparisons to Iniesta. And the legendary Spaniard backed the 20-year-old midfielder to continue growing and enjoying greater and greater success with the La Liga champions.
“As young as he is, he is already a reference point, an important person in the team with a lot of influence in the game and, surely, this evolution that he has had during this time will continue,” Iniesta said.
“He is in the best team to continue growing and I am convinced that he will have another great season,” he added.