Carlos Bianchi: "Paris, the ideal place for Lionel Messi"
From Buenos Aires, where he lives, Carlos Bianchi closely follows news in France, the other country that’s in his heart alongside his native Argentina. The former Paris hotshot (1977-1979), adored by fans of Velez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors, with whom he won numerous trophies as a coach, is delighted that Lionel Messi has joined Paris Saint-Germain.
Carlos Bianchi, Lionel Messi has just joined Paris Saint-Germain, and what are your feelings on the signing?
"First of all, and it's the most important thing, I hope he's happy to be coming to Paris. Those who love football can only be delighted that he's come to Paris Saint-Germain, a club and a city ideal for him and his family. His level of play is just exceptional, as I saw last season with Barcelona and the Argentina national side, as he always makes the difference. He's never been injured and I'm convinced he'll keep playing at this level for several years to come."
What will his role be in Paris ?
"He'll have a great time and impose himself at Paris Saint-Germain, as he already has numerous Argentinian and Brazilian friends in the squad this season. As he lives only for football, everything is in place for him to succeed in the Paris shirt. I said in 2019 to Chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaïfi when he invited me to the Parc des Princes that Paris Saint-Germain will win the Champions League. They weren't far off in the last two seasons. With Lionel Messi joining, I'm even more confident. It's a new asset for Mauricio Pochettino, and I had this sort of player when I was coaching Boca Juniors when I had Juan Román Riquelme : you position them on the field and it's all good as they know how to do everything. Messi is for me the best player in the world right now and the greatest in Argentina's history. i have already said that in Argentina, which didn't please certain admirers of Diego Maradona... »
Paris have an incredible forward line...
"That's obvious! Lionel Messi has already played with Neymar Jr at Barcelona, and they formed an incredible trio with Luis Suarez. Kylian Mbappé is one of the best players in the world, and I'm not worried about how they'll complement each other. I can't wait to come to Paris and see him play at the Parc des Princes, with the hope of meeting Lionel Messi and congratulate him on having joined Paris Saint-Germain. »