- Lionel Messi has spoken publicly for the first time since his sensational Paris Saint-Germain transfer.
- Messi signed with the French side on Tuesday following a turbulent exit from FC Barcelona.
- Keep reading to see the highlights of Messi's first press conference as a PSG player.
On leaving Barcelona: "My exit from Barcelona was a hard moment."
Messi began his press conference by thanking the PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi before looking back on his time at Barcelona.
"You know my exit from Barcelona was a hard moment after so many years, it was a difficult change after so much time. But from the moment I arrived here I felt very happy and I want to begin training."
On arriving in Paris: "I'm been enjoying my time in Paris since the first minute"
Having been in the city for less than 24 hours, the Argentine said he is already having a great time.
"I've been 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 team mates and begin this new moment of my life.
"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."
On what he wants to achieve: "This club is ready to fight for all the trophies, this is my goal"
Switching to life on the pitch, Messi said his one goal with Paris Saint-Germain is to win trophies.
"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 it 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."
On accepting he was leaving Barcelona: "This whole week I have gone through ups and downs but we are processing it everyday, little by little."
Looking back on the past week which saw him leave the club he has been at since he was 13, Messi said it was "hard, quick, and emotional."
"Everything that has happened to me this last week has been hard, quick and emotional.
"I can't believe what I lived and experienced in Barcelona but I feel impatient and happy at this new life with my family as well.
"I am very happy. This whole week I have gone through ups and downs but we are processing it everyday little by little."
On PSG's fans: "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."
Speaking about the fans who have been waiting outside PSG's stadium, the Parc des Princes, Messi said it was "incredible."
"I'm very grateful. Grateful to the people in the street. 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."
On playing against his old club: "It would be very nice to go back to Barcelona. I hope it would be with fans given the pandemic."
Messi is already relishing the idea of returning to the Camp Nou.
"It was very complicated to exit Barcelona without knowing where I was going to go. Barcelona is my home, I have been there since I was a kid.
"It would be very nice to go back to Barcelona. I hope it will be with fans given the pandemic. It would be very strange to play there in another shirt but it can happen and we will see."
On his best friend in soccer: "Neymar, of course, did a lot"
When asked who convinced him to join PSG, there were three names Messi mentioned.
"[Ángel] Di María, [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."
The press conference then ended with people inside chanting "Messi, Messi, Messi" as the Argentine departed.
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