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PARIS — Pep Guardiola admits it is unusual to see Lionel Messi playing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Guardiola famously led Barcelona to two Champions League football triumphs with Messi at the heart of his side.
He could face his former player tonight when Manchester City face PSG in a repeat of last season’s Champions League semi-final.
“It was a surprise for everyone (that Messi left Barcelona) but that’s what happened,” said Guardiola. “Everyone now accepts it.
“A long time ago you couldn’t imagine it but it happened. In life itself you never know what happens. I’m pretty sure he’ll be happy in Paris. His career is exceptional. Hopefully tomorrow (tonight) he can play for the benefit of the game.”
Messi has missed PSG’s last two games with a knock but trained ahead of City’s visit to the Parc des Princes.
Guardiola is expecting a difficult night.
He said: “With this amount of quality I don’t know how to stop them, they’re so good. This amount of talent makes it so difficult.
“They were a fantastic team last season. It was a tight game. And now they have Messi.” In fact, there was a time when a reunion between Messi and Guardiola looked distinctly possible, but tonight they will be on opposite sides again when Paris Saint-Germain play Manchester City in the Champions League.
Had it not been for Jack Grealish, perhaps things would have turned out differently. City announced the £100 million signing of Grealish from Aston Villa on August 5, the same day Barcelona revealed Messi would not be staying at the Camp Nou.
A year ago, when Messi tried to force his departure from Catalonia, City appeared the most likely destination.
In the end Barcelona prevented the six-time Ballon d’Or winner from leaving then and 12 months later Messi was prepared to stay put until it became clear the financial mess at the Camp Nou meant he could not.
If City had anticipated Messi becoming available, they might have moved for him. But instead they focused their sights on Grealish and were trying to sign Harry Kane, a move that ultimately didn’t happen.
“Right now it is not in our thoughts,” Guardiola said when asked if City might move for Messi.
It says much about the modern game that PSG were the only other realistic destination for the 34-year-old who Guardiola has described as the greatest player of all time. Messi has played just three games for his new club and is yet to score.
He has sat out PSG’s last two matches with a knee problem but the feeling is that Mauricio Pochettino has been saving him for City.
After being held 1-1 by Club Brugge in their opening game, PSG need a positive result against City to stop their rivals taking control of their Champions League group.
Messi will fancy opening his account in Paris on such an occasion, and Guardiola has already been on the receiving end of the Argentine’s genius in Europe.
Champions League Fixtures
Today: AFC Ajax v Besiktas (6:45pm); Shakhtar Donetsk v Internazionale (6:45pm); FC Porto v Liverpool (9pm); Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City (9pm); AC Milan v Atletico Madrid (9pm); Dortmund v Sporting CP (9pm); RB Leipzig v Club Brugge (9pm); Real Madrid v Sheriff Tiraspol (9pm).
Tomorrow: Zenit St. Petersburg v Malmo (6:45pm); Atalanta v Young Boys (6:45pm); RB Salzburg v LOSC Lille (9pm); SL Benfica v Barcelona (9pm); Manchester United v Villarreal (9pm); Juventus v Chelsea (9pm); VfL Wolfsburg v Sevilla (9pm); Bayern Munich v Dynamo Kiev (9pm). — AFP
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