Carragher claims Messi may have played his final Champions League tie
‘It could be the last time we see Lionel Messi in the Champions League’: Jamie Carragher claims PSG’s limp exit at the hands of Bayern could be the Argentine star’s final outing in the competition with his future uncertain
- PSG were beaten 3-0 on aggregate by Bayern in the Champions League last-16
- The defeat has fuelled further speculation over Lionel Messi’s future at the club
- Messi, 35, has yet to extend his contract with the reigning French champions
Jamie Carragher believes Lionel Messi may never play in the Champions League again with Paris Saint-Germain having crashed out of the competition to Bayern Munich.
The French champions had travelled to the Allianz Arena seeking to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit.
PSG were beaten 2-0 on Wednesday night with Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry on target, as Bayern advanced 3-0 on aggregate.
The defeat continues PSG’s wait to win the prestigious competition for the first time, despite the club having invested heavily in a star-studded attack featuring Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Carragher had claimed prior to the match that defeat may signal the end of Messi’s time in the competition.
Lionel Messi was unable to help PSG to victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League
Jamie Carragher suggested Messi may have played his final match in the competition
The 35-year-old’s future is uncertain with his PSG contract expiring at the end of the season
‘It could be the last time we see Lionel Messi in the Champions League,’ Carragher told CBS Sports.
The former Liverpool defender later added ‘this season’ having predicted Bayern would advance.
Messi has played 163 times in the Champions League with only rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas having featured more, with 183 and 177 appearances respectively.
The Argentine has won the competition four times with Barcelona, but has not lifted the famous trophy since 2015.
Messi’s future has become increasingly uncertain, with the World Cup winning captain’s deal at PSG expiring in the summer.
Messi, who will turn 36 in June, had recently claimed wanted to do ‘great things’ with PSG but has yet to sign a contract extension with the club.
PSG have also faced calls to tear up their current approach, having been eliminated in the last-16 in five of the past seven seasons.
Messi is yet to sign a new deal with the French champions amid links to several clubs
Inter Miami are among the clubs to have been linked with a move for the World Cup winner
Messi’s former club Barcelona and MLS side Inter Miami have been repeatedly linked with moves for the star.
An anonymous source told The Athletic that a deal for Messi to make his way to Inter Miami ‘was all but done’.
Inter Miami coach Phil Neville has claimed Messi would be the ‘biggest signing’ in MLS history should he move to the United States.
Messi has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad reportedly interested in the star.
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