Pochettino Told the Story of Messi’s Decision to Almost Join Espanyol

DBasia.news – Apparently, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is familiar with Lionel Messi. He remembered Messi in his early career. According to Pochettino, Messi almost joined Espanyol.

Tottenham met Barcelona in the Matchday 2 of 2018-2019 Champions League. The match will be the meeting between Pochettino and Lionel Messi.

Apparently, Pochettino has a memory with Lionel Messi. The manager remembered the time when the Argentinian striker almost left Barcelona.

At that time, Lionel Messi was in his early career as a football player. He was about to join Espanyol when he performed impressively against Juventus in the friendly match.

 

Lionel Messi

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In the meantime, Pochettino entered his end of the career as a football player. He admits hearing the rumor of Lionel Messi’s arrival to Espanyol.

“I started to hear about him when I was at Espanyol – a small guy playing in the academy in Barcelona,” Pochettino remembered Messi.

“He arrived when he was 13 years old, going from Argentina to Barcelona. Then I heard he was so close to signing for Espanyol – very close – in the season Barcelona played against Juventus under (Fabio) Capello in the Joan Gamper Cup.”

“Because he was so fantastic in the Joan Gamper, Capello praised him afterward and they changed the decision and kept Messi at Barcelona,” Pochettino continued.

 

Lionel Messi has his debut when Barcelona played against Espanyol on October 2004. At that time, Mauricio Pochettino was supporting Espanyol.