Marco Verratti has opened up on the evening he and Neymar helped convince Lionel Messi to join Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona.

• Verratti reveals his role in bringing Messi to PSG
• Midfielder recalls magical evening in Ibiza
• Italian played 416 games for the Parisians

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Verratti has revealed that then-PSG team-mate Neymar invited him, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes to a surprise dinner with Messi while the Argentine star was still at Barcelona. Shockingly, the iconic attacker soon made the switch to the French capital.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi made a shock free transfer to the French giants in 2021 after debt-struck Barcelona confirmed they could not afford to extend his contract. He arrived in Paris amid much fanfare and while he was unable to guide them to Champions League glory and light up the Parc des Princes in the manner expected, Italian midfielder Verratti remembers the unusual evening that may have played a key role in the move.

• WHAT VERRATTI SAID

  Verratti said in an interview with Gazzetta: "I remember a great night that became almost magical. We are in Ibiza, Neymar comes to me and tells me that tonight we will also be having dinner with Leo Messi. So I, Leo, Paredes, Ney and Di Maria end up at the table. We talk and we're fine. And we give him, so to speak, a head like this so that he can come to Paris. Late in the evening we say goodbye and the next day we read that there are problems between him and Barcelona. Then, in the early afternoon Neymar calls me: “Marco, Leo comes to us”. Incredible: from having him at dinner to having him as a team-mate. Magical evening."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Messi is currently starring with Inter Miami in MLS, having scored 18 goals in as many matches. Their next game is against Atlas in the Leagues Cup this week.

Tags: Futebol
Category: News