Sport

Messi says dream is to lead Paris St Germain to Champions League glory

Published

3 years ago

August 11, 2021

Lionel Messi said on Wednesday he was delighted to have signed for French club Paris St Germain and that he was ready to help the team clinch their first ever Champions League title.

The Argentinean forward had agreed to stay at former club Barcelona after his deal expired at the end of June, only for the Spanish club to admit they could no longer afford him last week, Reuters reported.

He signed a two year deal with an option for a third with the Parisians on Tuesday.

"That's why I am here. It's an ambitious club," Messi, who will wear the No. 30 jersey - which was his first squad number in senior football at Barcelona in 2006, told a news conference.

"You can see they're ready to fight for everything.

"My dream is to win another Champions League, and I think this is the ideal place to be to do that."

The Argentine conceded he did not know when he would be able to make his debut given he has not played since winning the Copa America with his country last month. Reuters reported.

"I'm coming back from holiday. I need a bit of a pre-season and get myself going. Hopefully debuting can be soon but I can't give you a date. It's up to the coaches."

FAN CRAZE

Eyebrows were raised as to how PSG could afford to sign Messi within UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. However, club chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who sat alongside Messi, insisted the deal was well within their economic scope.

"We are always attentive to Financial Fair Play. It's the first thing we check with the commercial, financial and legal people to see if we can do it before signing someone," he said.

"I think the media need to focus on the positives and not just the negatives of these moves, but what positives he brings. He's an unbelievable asset to the club."

Al-Khelaifi's point was backed up by thousands of excited fans who had gathered outside the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, banging on drums, waving flags and chanting Messi's name, Reuters reported.

"My arrival here was both surprising and crazy," Messi said.

"It was the icing on the cake as if I needed any more convincing. I'm grateful to the fans, it was crazy to see people on the streets in Paris without the deal even being done last week. I was stunned."

Local fan Nelson Dross, 17, told Reuters: "Why do I love him? Because he makes us dream. He's a magician, a genius."

"He's the best player in the world," Sofiane Achi, 19, said. "We want that he wins the Champions League with PSG."

NEW CHALLENGE

Messi on Sunday wept as he told Barcelona fans he was leaving his childhood club, and admitted that while he is sad, he is looking forward to the new challenge and hoped they would understand his decision making.

"I'll always be thankful to Barca and their fans. I went there as a boy, and we had some good and bad times," he said.

"The Barca fans knew I'd join a good club, fighting for the Champions League, because they know me, I like to win, I'm a winner and I want to carry on doing that.

"I don't doubt that PSG's objectives is to win and grow. It would be nice on the one hand to face them (Barcelona) in the Champions League, especially with fans, but on the other strange to go back to my home in another team's shirt - but that's football."

Related Topics:featured Football Messi Paris St Germain

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Sport

Ariana News to broadcast IPL auction live and exclusively in Afghanistan

Published

5 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Ariana News

The highly anticipated TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) Player Auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday November 24 and Monday November 25 - an event that will be broadcast to Afghanistan’s cricket fans live and exclusively by Ariana Television and Radio Network (ATN).

The two-day event will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana News.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this year. It will be the second time that the IPL mega auction is held outside India after last year's event in Dubai.

This year's mega auction will have 1,574 players registered, of which 574 names will go under the hammer.

Of those 574, a total of 366 players will be Indian and 208 will be foreign cricketers.

A number of big names will be in fray, with as many as 81 players choosing to register themselves under the highest base price bracket of Rs 2 crore ($237,000).

Afghan players

Eighteen Afghan players have been shortlisted for the IPL mega auction.

Two hundred and four (204) slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players.

Full list of Afghan players shortlisted for the auction:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Noor Ahmad
Waqar Salamkheil
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Azmatullah Omarzai
Naveen-ul-haq
Zahir Khan Pakten
Sediqullah Atal
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Najibullah Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
Qais Ahmad
Karim Janat
Faridoon Dawoodzai
Nangyal Kharote

For cricket fans across the country, the IPL mega auction broadcast will be on Sunday and Monday from 1.30pm Kabul time on Ariana News. For more information and updated stories be sure to watch this space and follow us on social media.

Sport

Pakistan trumps Afghanistan by only 13 runs in U19 Tri-Series One Day match

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s U-19 cricket team went down to Pakistan by only 13 runs on Wednesday in their third tri-nation series One Day match at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

This was Pakistan’s first win over Afghanistan in the ongoing tournament after the Afghans defeated their opponents by 100 runs at the same venue on Friday.

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket.

After Faisal’s departure, Uzairullah soon followed with Afghanistan at 142 for three in 26.5 overs.

Afghanistan were bundled out for 231 in 46.4 overs.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pakistan’s opening pair Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan provided a solid 129-run stand to Pakistan.

Left-handed Usman, who scored a century against Afghanistan in the previous match, scored an 88-ball 77, which included eight fours.

Shahzaib meanwhile top-scored for the side with 78 off 101 balls, hitting seven boundaries.

For Afghanistan, Abdul Aziz Khan and Khatir Khan Stanikzai bagged three wickets apiece, while Naseer Khan Maroofkhil snapped two wickets.

Pakistan will take on the hosts UAE U19 in their last group match on Friday, 22 November.

In a post on X, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said late Wednesday: “Not the result we would have wanted but Afghanistan Future Stars will look to bounce back in the next match.”

Afghanistan will take on UAE U19 on Sunday, November 24.

Sport

Afghanistan beat UAE by 169 runs in U19 tri-series

Published

3 days ago

November 18, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan under-19 cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates under-19 team by 169 runs in their second match of the tri-nation series in Dubai on Monday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Afghans posted 359-5 as they played all the mandated 50 overs in the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Faisal Khan scored 156 runs while captain Mehboob Khan made 141.

In reply, UAE made 190 before they were all out in the 45.4 overs.

It is Afghanistan U19's second consecutive win in the two matches they have played so far in the tri-series.

Afghanistan U19 defeated Pakistan by 100 runs in their first match.

Afghanistan U19 will meet Pakistan U19 again on Wednesday.