Messi: “I do not regret anything; I repeat that last season”
'La Pulga' has returned from his vacation to guide Barça towards another year of success. The cup he promised last year awaits them again
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In any case, the Barca captain recalled that the staff starts a new course "with renewed illusions", eager, "and I hope you return in the same way," he said addressing the public
The Argentine captain and FC Barcelona striker Leo Messi greets the fans at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. EFE / Enric Fontcuberta
LatinAmerican Post with EFE information
"I do not regret anything; I repeat again what I said last season," Barcelona captain Lionel Messi said Sunday during his parliament at the presentation of the 2019-20 Barcelona squad.
On the grass of the Camp Nou, before the friendly Joan Gamper Trophy that Barça disputes this Sunday, August 4, against the London Arsenal, Messi grabbed the microphone while the fans chanted his name.
The Rosario's 'crack' acknowledged that it was "difficult" to address the fans "after what happened last season", when the team could not raise "the beautiful and desired Cup" that the Argentine star practically promised a year earlier, because of that disastrous night in Liverpool.
But he insisted that the message for this course was going to be the same: "I trust this team, these players and this coaching staff, and I have no doubt that everything together we will fight again for everything."
Messi admitted that "last season ended up being a bit bitter because of how it happened", but recalled that, despite not being able to raise his sixth 'Champions', the team maintained its hegemony in Spanish football.
"I think we have to give the League the value it deserves. The eighth League in eleven years. That for any club would be great and for this one too. Maybe now we don't give it the value it deserves, but after a few years we will realize how difficult everything is," he stressed.
In any case, the Barca captain recalled that the staff begins a new course "with renewed illusions" and eagerness, "and I hope you return in the same way," he said addressing the public.
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Messi was preceded in the speech by coach, Ernesto Valverde, whom Camp Nou received in a much colder way than at '10'.
"Last season, we won and lost. We always want to win to give you all our victories, but we couldn't do it or we didn't know," lamented the Extremaduran coach, who is confident that when the month of May arrives, the team will be back in a position to lift all titles. "But we can only get it with your support and with the talent of these players," he added.
Before the speech, the presentation of the 2019-20 template arrived. The first big ovation of the afternoon was for one of the 'old rockers' of the Barca team, the Uruguayan Luis Suarez. Among the new, more applause than whistles for the Frenchman Antoine Griezmann and a warm welcome for the Dutch Frenkie de Jong, whom Camp Nou welcomed as a new idol.
For the rest of the new signings, goalkeeper Roberto Murara 'Neto' and defenders Moussa Wagué and Júnior Firpo, recently signed today, rather indifference.
The captains' turn came. And the presentation of Gerard Piqué heated to a stand that, one more year, almost fell apart when Messi stepped on, again, the grass of the Camp Nou.
'La Pulga' has returned from his vacation to guide Barça towards another year of success. The cup he promised last year awaits them again.
