‘I thought it was fake’… Sergio Aguero opens up on Lionel Messi disappointment after Man City exit

Redaction Simon Brett with Dan Murphy
Published on 2024-02-14 15:40:00

Sergio Aguero recently revealed how disappointed he was when his eagerly awaited reunion with Lionel Messi at Barcelona was shattered.

Aguero parted ways with Manchester City after a ten-year association when his contract ended in 2021. The celebrated striker then joined Barcelona on a free transfer, with high hopes of playing alongside his close friend Messi, after years of playing together for Argentina.

However, Messi’s time with Barcelona was abruptly cut short due to the club’s financial woes, leaving the football world in shock. The renowned forward then signed with Paris Saint-Germain after unexpectedly parting ways with Barcelona.

Aguero disclosed Messi’s initial belief that the contractual issues at Barcelona would be resolved, and Messi would remain at the club.

Aguero was deeply affected by the news when it was confirmed that Messi would be leaving, but expressed his discomfort by declining to use the No. 10 shirt, a number he has previously donned at his previous clubs.

“Leo assured me that it was going to be fixed [a new contract], that he was going to start training,” Aguero said on the Clank YouTube show.

“I saw the news and I thought it was a fake. I wrote to him and he said ‘Yes’.

“I didn’t even know what to answer him, I didn’t answer him anymore, I saw him the next day and he was pretty bad.

“As soon as Leo left, the club offered me the No.10, I told them ‘no’.

“No, because I didn’t want to use it, I had been the 10 in all my clubs but I believed that Messi was going to return.

“I told them that someone else should use it.

“‘You are the only one who can use it, you or Ansu’, they told me. I told them to give it to Ansu Fati.

“For me, the 10 is Leo’s, if he’s not there, don’t use it.”

Unfortunately, Aguero’s time at Barcelona was short-lived when he was diagnosed with a heart defect after playing just five games for the club, leading him to retire prematurely. On the other hand, Messi continued his career with PSG, but the trio of Neymar, Messi, and Kylian Mbappe didn’t reach the anticipated levels of success.

In 2022, Messi found international success when he finally won the World Cup with Argentina. He has since moved on to play for Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer. It is evident that Aguero and Messi both faced difficulties and unexpected turns as they moved on from their dream reunion.

Read Original article on Manchester City News