"I'm convinced that Leo Messi will return to Barça this summer"

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"I'm convinced that Leo Messi will return to Barça this summer"

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We spoke to Diego Maradona's son in Napoli ahead of the Europa League clash

In the chaotic Napoli, we head out of the city and into the metropolitan district. We cover 15km where we risk our lives in a taxi that passes more traffic lights in red than in green, and we arrive at the Studio Comunale Alberto Vallefuoco. There Afro Napoli United train, coached by a Diego Armando Maradona.

We speak about many things with the son of the Argentine legend, including Leo Messi.

“What club would not suffer if they lost him? For me, they are doing well. If Isay Barcelona play with Dembele, Aubameyang and Ferran, with Traore and De Jong on the sideline, they are a great team.”

He surprises us with a certain view.

“I am convinced that Leo Messi will return to Barça. Maybe this summer. I don’t see him happy there. Obviously he’s a barbaric player and when you play like that you show it wherever you are. But his club is Barcelona, without a doubt.”

Maradona was delighted with the Copa America win.

“We took a weight off of us, imagine that with Higuain, Di Maria, Messi, Mascherano, we won nothing. A marvellous generation that was going without. There are various things after that. In the Brazil World Cup, a scandalous penalty they didn’t give. In the final we dominated Germany. They shot once and scored.”

Is it unjust, all the comparisons between Messi and your father?

“My old man had no comparison. And to just in Argentina, they compare him across the world but it makes no sense. And Messi is a barbaric player, for me, after my old man, comes him, in the history of football.”

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