Paris Saint Germain attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria has thrown a series of jabs at Cristiano Ronaldo after the French club signed Lionel Messi ahead of the Portuguese football icon.
Recently, Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona after 21 years of football career at the club to join PSG for free. The move has been one of the most talked-about events in football this year.
In an interview with Argentinian TV channel TyC Sports, Angel Di Maria claimed that Ronaldo wanted to join PSG because he wanted to play alongside the best in the game. However, PSG decided to sign Lionel Messi instead of the 36-year-old Portuguese football icon.
Recall that Ronaldo and Messi have been arch-rivals over the years. Unlike Ronaldo that has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and now Juventus, Messi was initially seen as a one-club man until Barcelona failed to meet up with a new deal for the 34-year-old record 6 times Ballon d’Or winner.
Before Messi joined PSG, he was without a club for a month while Ronaldo was still contracted with Juventus. However, even though Ronaldo still has a season left on his contract, he was rumored to be linked with a move to PSG.
But immediately it was cleared that Barcelona could not give Messi a new contract, PSG jumped on the opportunity and signed him for free. The French club gave him a two-year deal.
Despite that, the rumor that the owner of PSG, Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to have Ronaldo at PSG is still blowing hot across the media.
But that rumor did not stop Angel Di Maria from stressing that it was better than PSG signed Messi instead of Ronaldo. The 33-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder who has played with Ronaldo for over three seasons at Real Madrid insisted that there is no player like Lionel Messi, his national teammate.
Angel Di Maria said: “Messi is from another planet. You throw a stone at him and he would control it, he beats a man like it is nothing, he thinks quicker than anyone. I have never seen anything like it.
“I’ve played with Cristiano, [Neymar], Mbappe, [Wayne] Rooney, [Robin] Van Persie, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, [Karim] Benzema, [Gareth] Bale and honestly I’ve never seen anything like him.
“The quality and quantity that PSG have now are unique. It doesn’t happen often at a club and the best players always want to be with the best. For sure Cristiano would like to be here, but they brought Messi, and luckily, that’s much better.”
Angel Di Maria mocks Sergio Aguero
Aside from mocking Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria did not spare his national teammate, Sergio Aguero who left Manchester City for FC Barcelona this summer.
The Argentine midfielder noted that Aguero who is currently out with an injury joined FC Barcelona because he thought Messi would remain at the club.
He noted how Aguero would not only be in pain that the player that made him join Barcelona is no longer available at the club, he is also pained that he would not be able to play football for weeks due to a knee-related injury.
“The worst thing is that [Aguero] has got injured again and will be out for a few weeks,” Di Maria said. “That is the saddest thing because he had made such an effort with his knee, trying to recover and be at a good level on his return… Let’s hope he can get better as soon as possible to show how good he really is.”
On PSG’s inability to win the UEFA Champions League for over 50 years of the club’s existence, Di Maria said: “We always must win the Champions League and now with the arrival of Messi we have to do it, come what may. “It isn’t easy but we have a coaching staff who can make a great team and everyone knows what they have to do.
“[Coach Mauricio] Pochettino can make a great team. With so many stars, there’s the responsibility to do things well, but everyone has their role and that’s what’s important. I’d like to play in my position on the right or in the middle like at Real Madrid, but the coach decides.”
