Turin: Juventus FC defender Leonardo Bonucci believes that teammate Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn’t have gone to Paris Saint-Germain even if Lionel Messi had not gone to Ligue 1 giants. After a disappointing domestic season in Serie A and continuous misery in the UEFA Champions League, speculation rose that Ronaldo is looking for a change as he moved into his final year of the contract in Turin.
But now Ronaldo’s eternal rival, Lionel Messi, is being heavily linked with PSG and as per many reports, the six times Baloon d’Or winner has reached an agreement with the French team on Tuesday. On this, Bonucci said that the decisions made by Messi have not impacted Ronaldo’s commitment to his current club.
Goal.com cited Gazzetta Dello Sport in quoting Juve defender: “I think that Cristiano Ronaldo would have stayed even if Messi had not gone to PSG.”
“For us, it’s an added value and I’m sure that this year, more than in past years, he will help us reach all of our goals.”
Messi is taking on a new challenge with Ligue 1 giants, with a reported two-year contract — that includes a 12-month extension option beyond that point — set to be signed at Parc des Princes.
Earlier, Messi was set to extend his stay at FC Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal this summer. However, the club announced on Thursday that “financial and structural obstacles” meant the deal could not be completed, meaning Messi left as a free agent. (ANI)
