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PSG's departing forward Lionel Messi has officially bid farewell to the team, thanking the club for the last two years, ahead of his final appearance for them.
The Parisians play their final game of the 2022-23 season at home against Clermont Foot in Ligue 1 tonight with the title already wrapped up.
Given Sergio Rico's life-threatening condition right now, head coach Christophe Galtier has confirmed that there will be no celebrations from the team for their Ligue 1 win. But a few players will bid their goodbyes tonight.
Among them is Messi, who is confirmed to leave the French side this summer after his contract expires.
The Argentine, who joined the Ligue 1 champions in 2021, is set to become a free agent once again as his next club isn't certain yet.
Ahead of his final appearance for PSG, Messi thanked the club and its fans for the last two years, while also wishing the side the best. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):
“Thanks to the club, the city of Paris and its residents for these two years and I wish them the best in the future.”
Messi's future in Paris had been a matter of speculation lately, but the straw that broke the camel's back was his unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia last month.
Just hours after their 3-1 home defeat to Lorient, the Argentine jetted off to the Middle Eastern country on a family trip, despite it not having been approved by the club.
PSG subsequently took disciplinary action against Messi and suspended him for two weeks. Just days after this, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Tonight, Messi could make his final appearance for the club, and so could Sergio Ramos, who is also set to depart after two years with the French champions.
Lionel Messi leaves PSG with a contested legacy
Lionel Messi's time at PSG lasted only two seasons, but he had his fair share of highs and lows.
On one hand, the Argentine boasts an amazing record of 32 goals and 35 assists from 74 appearances across competitions. He did this while winning the league title in both campaigns.
However, he came up short in helping PSG achieve their ultimate objective, which is winning the Champions League. In both seasons with Messi, the Parisians went out in the round of 16 of the competition.
Although it wasn't entirely his fault, but the forward failed to score a single goal in any of the four knockout games, two against Real Madrid and two against Bayern Munich.
Messi will go down in history as perhaps the greatest to have ever kicked a ball, but at PSG, his legacy will be contested.
