Messi should choose Barcelona return over Ronaldo rivalry in Saudi Arabia: Juninho

Speaking on RMC Sport, Brazil legend Juninho Pernambucano has advised Lionel Messi to pick a return to Barcelona over the chance of rekindling his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

Messi is set to become a free agent this summer, with his contract at PSG on the verge of expiry. A renewal in Paris seems to be off the table as things stand, with an exit the likeliest option.

Barcelona, hence, have emerged as a possible destination for the Argentina captain, with the club intent on bringing back their legend for one last dance.

At the same time, Messi is also attracting serious interest from Saudi Arabia, where Al Hilal are ready to offer him a crazy €400 million per year contract.

The Middle East nation is keen to bolster its sporting profile by rekindling the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, with the latter signing for Al Nassr during the January transfer window.

But, former Brazil and Olympique Lyon midfielder Juninho has urged Messi to not move to Saudi Arabia and has insisted that he should choose a return to Barcelona over a reunion with his arch-nemesis Ronaldo.

“He achieved everything, he was world champion, but time flies for everyone. I think the best thing is to return to Barça, but in a different way. Returning to Barça with the same contract it could not go down well with the fans,” Juninho said.

“If he returns to Barça, with his heart, another speech, and a contract in the conditions of Barça today, it can be a good choice. It’s better than going to a derby against Cristiano Ronaldo, without disrespecting the Saudi league.”

Further elaborating, Juninho said that Messi’s good relationship with Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez could work well for both parties even if it might prove difficult to find the right balance initially.

The best choice is to return to Barça, even if it will not be easy for Xavi to find a balance of team because there is Robert Lewandowski. But Xavi has an intimate relationship with Messi, which could sometimes allow him to put him on the bench more easily and keep him for the more important games,” he said.

“At Barcelona, ​​Messi has respect for the locker room, the players, the supporters, the city. No one will do what he did with Barça.”

It has already been reported that Messi has turned down the approach from Al Hilal, with the seven-time Ballon d’Or understood to be keen on staying in Europe.

Barcelona, for their part, are putting in the efforts needed to bring back their former captain, starting with consulting La Liga to discuss the feasibility of the move. It will be interesting to see if the 35-year-old makes a stunning comeback to Catalonia in the summer.