Lionel Messi has urged Barcelona to sign Antoine Griezmann. “You need the best to win the Champions League, and he’s one of them.”
Messi covered plenty of ground in his final interview before the World Cup, but the No 10 saved the best for last when he was asked whether Barca should bring in the Atletico Madrid ace.
“We had a great season with the double,” he told Sport.
“It’s true that we all dream of the Champions League for what it takes to win it, but there’s no need to detract the season we had.
“Winning the League and Champions League is different. Barca had a spectacular year.
“We only lost three games throughout the season but had the bad luck of being eliminated from the competition that generates the most enthusiasm. Still, the double was very good.
“Changing the double for the CL? No. Winning the League and Copa is very important. It’s not easy.
“Like I said, despite what happened to us in the Champions League, the season went well for us.
“The truth is that we’d have liked to win more Champions Leagues, especially in the last three years. Going out at the quarter-final stage can’t happen to us and more so the manner of how we did last season.
“With the lead we had, the result of the first game [4-1], that made the elimination worse and more painful because of how it happened.
“What Barca need? I’m not the one to say who to bring in. That’s for the people who take care of these things.
“Last season was a great one. We lost only three games and I repeat, how we lost that match in Rome was strange.
“Do Barca need Griezmann? I don’t know if it’s a priority. But I agree that in order for us to win the Champions League again, we must have the best players andG riezmann is one of them.
“If the club can bring him in then that’s great. I don’t know if he’s a priority for us, but it depends on the board and Coach.
“I’m just saying that to win the Champions League, you must have the best. And he’s very good!
“La Masia? Our commitment to the cantera has been lost a bit. Some important lads have left, and it’s unusual that it’s happened at the best club in the world.”
