Mass hysteria engulfed the French capital on Wednesday, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) finally unveiling Lionel Messi as their new star player. The Argentina captain was presented at a news conference at PSG's Parc des Princes with reporters chanting the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's name as he took his seat alongside club president and owner Nasser al-Khelaifi.
That response was nothing compared to the scene outside when Messi met the PSG fans for the first time. He was given a hero's welcome by club supporters, who are in complete and utter disbelief that PSG managed to sign the legendary soccer icon. PSG pulled off the whirlwind signing after Barcelona announced Messi's exit from the Catalan giants last week.
Messi eager to start his new journey with PSG
Messi spoke about his delight in joining PSG, saying the French club gave him the best chance to win his fifth Champions League title. He was also looking forward to sharing the pitch with French World Cup hero Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar, saying, "I am very happy. It's crazy. I'm going to play with the best players in the world, and that's always good."
PSG's deep pockets have made it possible for them to assemble such a formidable trio. Neymar and Mbappe are the top two most expensive players in history, with the Parisian giants paying €222 million and €180 million respectively to secure their services. Messi's deal wasn't different as the former Barcelona star landed a two-year deal worth around $80 million in net salary as a free agent.
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When will Messi make his debut for PSG?
The question now is when will Messi make his much-anticipated debut for PSG. According to Sky Sports News, it won't be anytime soon as Messi is still not ready to play after enjoying a month-long break following Argentina's stunning victory in the Copa America.
If that is indeed the case, that will rule Messi out of PSG's second Ligue 1 match of the new season against Strasbourg this coming Saturday and their next away fixture against Brest on the evening of August 20.
In the press conference, Messi alluded to that fact, saying that he was on holiday and needed a pre-season to get back into form. Messi said, "I'm going to begin to train and work and I hope I can play as soon as I can, when the staff thinks I'm OK, I'll be ready."
There's a chance Messi will make his first appearance for PSG on the road against Reims on August 29, which is a couple of weeks away from now. If not, he will debut in PSG's first game after the international break against Clermont Foot on September 12. Messi is expected to be in the lineup once PSG begins its Champions League campaign on September 14/15.
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