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Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi believes that football as a sport will never be the same, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate people globally. COVID-19 has been contracted by around 6.1 million people around the world and claimed close to 372,000 lives this year.
Lionel Messi claimed that the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the world of football and other day-to-day activities is something people have to get accustomed to.
In an interview with El País Semanal as translated by Marca, Messi spoke about the current situation and claimed that the coronavirus has taken everyone by surprise.
"Almost all of us are left with the doubt of how the world is going to be after everything that happened. Beyond the confinement and the situation that caught us by surprise, many people had a really hard time."
"This situation affected them in some way, such as it happened with all those who lost their family and friends and could not even fire them."
Lionel Messi makes emotional declaration
Lionel Messi added that there is nothing worse than losing your loved ones and expressed his frustration towards the events that have unfolded in recent months.
"I think there were many negative things in this crisis, but there can be nothing worse than losing the people you love the most, that creates enormous frustration for me and seems to me the most unfair of all"
"Football will never be the same. But not only football, I think that life in general will not be the same again."
Barcelona's league encounter was a 1-0 victory against Real Sociedad on the 3rd of March. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi scored the solitary goal of the game to secure a much-needed victory for his side.
After a 2-0 defeat against arch-rivals Real Madrid in their previous league encounter, Lionel Messi and co bounced back to record three points against Sociedad. The result took them to the top of the La Liga standings, as Real Madrid succumbed to defeat against Real Betis that weekend.
Lionel Messi has carried on from where he left off last season and currently leads the Spanish top-flight for goals as well as assists.
With 19 goals and 12 assists to his name, Lionel Messi has been one of the most consistent performers this season and has spearheaded Barcelona's title challenge.
The diminutive Argentine has been in blistering form and will look to produce the goods in the business end of the season. Barcelona are looking to make it win three La Liga titles in succession for the first time since the days of Pep Guardiola, and Lionel Messi's form will be pivotal to their hopes.
Several footballers have used to the unexpected break to pledge their support to the COVID-19 victims. Earlier this month, Lionel Messi pledged a whopping €500,000 to hospitals in Argentina to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Additionally, Lionel Messi also donated €1 million to the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona in March, as he continues to help those in need.
