Lionel Messi has said his will to win is as strong as ever as the Argentine forward was presented to the media on Wednesday for the first time since signing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi completed his free transfer move to PSG on Tuesday after signing a two-year contract, with the option of a third, worth a reported €25 million a year. The Argentine superstar was expected to sign a new five-year contract at Barcelona but the deal collapsed due to the club's inability to meet La Liga's financial fair play regulations, despite Messi agreeing to a 50 per cent pay cut.
Just days after hosting an emotional press conference to confirm his exit from Barcelona, Messi was presented as a PSG player at the Parc des Princes. After a few words from PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Messi addressed the media and answered questions.
"First of all I want to thank the president for his words - I'm very happy," Messi, 34, said. "You know my exit from Barcelona was a hard moment after so many years it was a difficult change after so much time.
"But the moment I arrived here I feel very happy and I want to begin training and I wanted it to be a quick signing. I'm enjoying my time in Paris since the first minute my family and I arrived - my only will now is to begin training and I want to work with the staff and teammates and begin this new moment of my life.
"I'm so happy to be here. I have a will to play and I still want to play and win as much as I wanted to at the first moment of my career. This club is ready to fight for all the trophies, this is my goal: to keep growing, keep winning titles and that's why I've come here to this club. I hope we can make it happen.
"I want to thank Paris, it's been crazy. I'm sure I'm going to enjoy my time with this team and we are going to fight for the aims of the club."
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived for his press conference joined by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three sons who all wore PSG shirts. Outside, thousands of supporters packed the area surrounding the Parc des Princes and chanted Messi's name.
"I'm very grateful to the people in the street," Messi said. "I was in Barcelona when the press told me about that. I've seen things from Spain and the people were already outside in Paris and it was incredible to see them outside in the streets.
"I am grateful and want to thank them and now I really want to see them in the city and in the stadium. It will be an incredible year and we are going to enjoy this."
PSG have enjoyed a remarkably successful summer when it comes to free transfers. In addition to Messi, the French club have signed Italy's No 1 goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma - last month named Euro 2020 player of the tournament - Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Messi will be reunited with his former Barcelona teammate Neymar, who joined PSG in 2017 for a world record €222m, as well as join forces with Kylian Mbappe - should the French forward stay and extend his contract.
"Neymar and I know each other very well," Messi said. "I hope we will be stronger together and with all our teammates."
Messi admitted that the Brazilian forward, alongside a number of his international teammates, had been in contact in recent days to convince him to make the move to the French capital.
"[Angel] Di Maria, [Leandro] Parades, I know all of the teammates in the dressing room, we had contact and Neymar of course did a lot and was important in my decision," he said.
Should Mbappe stay, PSG will possess arguably the most fearsome attack in world football. But with one-year left on his deal and having reportedly told PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino that he was not interested in an extension, there remains the possibility that the World Cup winner could leave this summer.
Messi's arrival could persuade Mbappe to commit his future to PSG, and Al-Khelaifi believes there are now "no excuses" for the 22-year-old not to sign new terms.
On Messi's move to PSG, Al-Khelaifi said: "This is an amazing and historic day for the club, for the football world and it is a fantastic moment for us.
"Everybody knows Leo. The only football player to win the Ballon d'Or six times. He makes football magic, beautiful and he's a winner.
"When we started here on day one 10 years ago, people asked what will they do with their project. We are very proud of where we are today.
"There was a great desire on both sides to make this happen."
You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
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- It can be as long as you link
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- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
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Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
