Paris Saint-Germain would have felt that they had hit the jackpot when they had managed to sign Lionel Messi.
However, the Argentine superstar failed to have the kind of impact that many had expected him to be able to achieve once he arrived at the Parc des Princes last summer from FC Barcelona.
Of course, there were many of us who will have been using soccerbetghana.com to place a wager on seeing the South American enjoy the same level of success that he had managed to achieve in La Liga in Ligue 1, but that was not to be the case.
Let’s be honest, though. It is important to remember that last season was unlike any other for Messi. He had an entirely new life, where he lived in a completely different country, with a new language and a completely new environment, whilst he also had new teammates that he needed to become friends with and learn how they played, too.
Additionally, it seems the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was also still in a state of shock following his summer arrival, as he has recently admitted that he did not fully understand what was happening and how he had no plans to change anything.
Speaking to TYC Sports (via The Sun), he said: “It was really difficult to understand what happened, I wasn’t expecting to leave Barcelona – it was a shock.
“I had everything in Barcelona. I left when I was very young. What’s more, I lived more in Barcelona than in Argentina.
“The truth is that I had no plans to change anything.
“Luckily, the children’s adaptation was spectacular. For Antonella and me it was more difficult.”
“Next season will be way better for me with Paris Saint-Germain, I’m sure. It was not easy after that crazy summer.”
As mentioned, and perhaps as he suggested himself, last season was well-below-par for him and the standards that he has set over his incredible career.
However, it is clear that he struggled to adapt. He also had various injuries and illnesses that he had to overcome, with some being extremely troubling. He even received abuse from fans.
Nonetheless, he is prepared to stay and do his best for PSG and the club has no intention of letting him go anywhere any time soon, either.
In truth, across the 34 appearances he made in all competitions this season, Messi had scored 11 goals and assisted 14; not gigantically bad figures by any stretch of the imagination.