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Real Betis and Argentina defender German Pezzella has jokingly claimed that his national team captain Lionel Messi will be welcome at his club side.
Messi's future has been a hot topic of debate over the past few weeks. La Pulga is set to run down his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) contract, which expires at the end of this season, according to various reports.
A return to Barcelona could be on the cards, while he is also rumored to be the subject of interest from the United States' MLS as well as Saudi Arabia.
During a recent interview with TyC Sports, German Pezzella was asked about Lionel Messi's club future. The defender replied while laughing (as quoted by BeSoccer):
“Betis open the door for him, we have no problem. If he wants to come, we'll see. It would also be important for Spain because of everything he attracts.”
Pezzella further added:
“When he is happy, he plays football, he brings joy to a lot of people's lives and does what he has done all his life on the pitch. As Argentines, we are grateful to have him on our side and to see him play. As a teammate, he keeps surprising you every day.”
Real Betis also boast another Argentine player in their ranks in midfielder Guido Rodriguez. He also spoke about Lionel Messi's future, but was much more reserved in his response and said (as quoted by the aforementioned source):
“We enjoy him in the national team. He is happy and shows it every time we go. That's something important for Argentinians. Afterwards, whatever he decides is best, he'll know with his family.”
Both Pezzella and Rodriguez were part of Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup winning squad led by Messi. The former came off the bench in three matches, including the final, while the latter played just once, accumulating 57 minutes as a starter in their 2-0 group-stage win over Mexico.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirms club's intentions to resign Lionel Messi
As German Pezzella mentioned, Lionel Messi returning to La Liga could be a massive boost for the league and the country. And from the latest updates, that could be a realistic possibility this summer.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently confirmed that the club are planning to bring Messi back to the Spotify Camp Nou. Laporta made the statement after the Blaugrana clinched the 2022-23 La Liga title with a 4-2 win away to RCD Espanyol on May 14.
He said (as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Twitter):
“We want Leo — we will not offer crazy figures for that or any other deal. We’ll try to make things work with viability plan, waiting for the approval.”
Prior to his tearful departure to PSG as a free agent in 2021, Lionel Messi played 778 times for Barcelona, recording a mammoth 672 goals and 303 assists. He also won 35 major honors with the Catalans, inlcuding 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies.
