Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is upset about the way PSG fans treat his Argentina teammate Lionel Messi.
"If Messi gets whistled, I'll take him to Aston Villa," Martinez told ESPN on May 22. "I'll connect him with his teammates. I'll grill him every weekend, get everyone to make little flags for him and he'll have a good time. If necessary, I'll take a pay cut for Messi."
Messi (left) holds the 2022 World Cup Golden Ball next to Martinez and Kylian Mbappe, after the final match on December 18. Photo: Reuters
Martinez has been close to Messi since playing for Argentina. At the 2022 World Cup, he became a solid support for his teammates. In the penalty shootout in the quarter-final against the Netherlands and the final against France, the Aston Villa goalkeeper helped Argentina win 4-3 and 4-2. "The thing I learned the most from the World Cup is to stay calm when you want to win," Martinez said. "That was thanks to the pressure I faced in the matches against the Netherlands and France. I went through a lot of challenges and now I play with more experience."
Aston Villa are making great strides this season. From 19th place after the first five rounds of the Premier League, Martinez and his teammates are up to seventh after the penultimate round. If they can defend their position in the final round, they will qualify for the Conference League.
The relationship between Messi and the fans of his current club, PSG, has deteriorated since the 2022 World Cup. After PSG lost to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16, French fans began criticizing the Argentine striker. The fanatic fans often whistled whenever Messi played at home at the Parc des Princes.
On May 2, PSG suspended Messi for two weeks for traveling to Saudi Arabia without permission. The Argentine striker later publicly apologized to the fans and the club. He explained that he thought he would have a day off as usual after the match against Lorient. Messi also said that he could not postpone the trip to Saudi Arabia, having already postponed it once.
This season, Messi has contributed 20 goals and 20 assists after 39 matches for PSG, just behind Kylian Mbappe's 40 goals and nine assists.
PSG currently lead Ligue 1 with 84 points after 36 games, six points ahead of second-placed Lens. Messi and his teammates need just one point from their final two games to win the title for the second time in a row.
At the 2022 World Cup, Messi contributed seven goals and three assists. In addition to the championship, he also won the World Cup Golden Ball and Silver Boot. Mbappe won the Golden Boot with eight goals, while Martinez won the Golden Glove.
Messi's contract with PSG only expires in June 2023. According to European media, in the summer transfer window, the 35-year-old striker faces the possibility of returning to Barca, going to Saudi Arabia or going to the US. According to Mundo Deportivo , Messi will bring in about $260 million in revenue from sponsorship and ticket sales each season for Barca, if he returns. Meanwhile, Barca only has to pay $15 million in salary.
Thanh Quy (according to ESPN )
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