'Wasn't Easy to Adapt': Lionel Messi Opens Up on Paris Saint-Germain Struggles

Messi arrived in France last summer after spending well over two decades with Barcelona. The main goal of the 34-year-old footballer was to lead Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to their maiden Champions League title, instead, he remained in the limelight for his dismal scoring figures throughout the 2021-22 season.

Lionel Messi has opened up on his struggles at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), admitting that it "was a difficult year" for him at the Parc des Princes.

"It was a difficult year. It wasn't easy to adapt. After being in the same place all my life, it's not easy at my age. It's one thing to do it when you're younger and you want to, but at the time I didn't want to, I didn't imagine it and I didn't think about it," the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner told Argentine television network TyC Sports.

Before joining PSG last year, the Argentina superstar was a goal-scoring behemoth at Barcelona, having scored at least 25 goals for them in 12 successive seasons.

However, Messi failed to produce the same numbers in the French capital, and was able to score 11 goals across all competitions for PSG during the 2021-22 season. He managed to hit the back of the net on just six occasions in Ligue 1.

Moreover, his failure to capture the Champions League this term has now extended his drought in Europe's premier club competition to seven years.

The ex-Barcelona skipper last lifted the coveted trophy in 2015, when he powered the Blaugrana to their fifth continental crown with a 3-1 victory over Juventus in the final.

Still, Messi is confident about winning Europe's elite tourney for PSG next season.

"I want to win it again and I'm angry that I can't be there [in the final]," the Rosario-born footballer said referring to PSG's Round of 16 loss to eventual champions Real Madrid in the just-concluded edition of the event.