Lionel Messi transfer latest: Rivaldo says star may have played last UCL game at Camp Nou

Brazilian legend Rivaldo believes that Lionel Messi has played his last Champions League game at the Camp Nou for Barcelona. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner scored the opener for his side against PSG in their first-leg Round of 16 clash but then watched on as Kylian Mbappe, who bagged a hat-trick, inspired the visitors to a 4-1 win. With Barcelona now needing a miracle in the second leg in Paris to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition, and Messi's contract expiring in June, Rivaldo believes that the Barcelona legend might have made his last UCL appearance at the Camp Nou. 

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Lionel Messi transfer latest: Rivaldo believes Messi might join PSG in summer

Barcelona’s decline has been dramatic over the last four years and amid the ongoing chaos at the LaLiga club, former Blaugrana star Rivaldo has revealed that Messi might have played his last UCL game for Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Ronald Koeman's men suffered a 4-1 home defeat in the first leg of the UCL Round of 16 against PSG and are on the verge of exiting the competition. They lost the Spanish Super Cup final against Athletic Bilbao and are also third in the LaLiga standings, nine points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid. 

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Messi's contract also expires in the summer and PSG have been heavily linked with signing the 10-time Spanish champion. In a recent chat with Betfair, Brazil icon Rivaldo claimed that Messi might be tempted to join PSG, where he could link up with Mbappe and reunite with Neymar to potentially win the Champions League. "This may well have been Lionel Messi's last match for Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Champions League. Based on the quality PSG showed, I'm sure he might be thinking about joining them," said Rivaldo.

"I want Messi to stay at Barcelona but I understand why he’d want to leave at the moment when the club is not guaranteeing him good chances of fighting for important titles regularly. ‘He can’t keep taking responsibility for the team on his own. Last summer, he saw Luis Suárez leave in an incomprehensible transfer that has made Atletico Madrid stronger. ‘I believe he will leave the club at the end of the season."

Messi already made one push for his exit in 2020, only to see the doors at Camp Nou slammed shut as he was forced to accept that the final year of his contract would need to be seen out. However, reports claim that Messi will be making no decision on his future until the end of the season. Messi has also been linked with a move to Man City, to work under former boss Pep Guardiola. 

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Image Credits - AP