London, July 2 (IANS) Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys vice-president Christian D’Amico feels there remains a chance that Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi might end up finishing his career at his boyhood club.
Messi joined Newell’s as a six-year-old before moving to the famed Barcelona youth academy La Masia at the age of 14.
Citing example of legendary Argentine Diego Maradona’s brief stint at the club in the 1993-94 season, D’Amico said Messi’s return isn’t ‘impossible’.
“I don’t know if it’s impossible. It’s a decision exclusively made by him and his family. We have to have the best possible context to help make a decision,” D’Amico was quoted as saying by TNT Sports as per Daily Mail.
“When Maradona came to Newell’s, nobody thought that he would come either. I hope to do something similar with Leo. Obviously, that’s not to be selling smoke. It’s a difficult topic.
“What Newell’s fan would not dream to see the best player in the world with the jersey of their team on? Time might allow such things, you have to be calm,” he added.
Messi recently touched the 700th career goal landmark after he scored from the penalty spot in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou in the ongoing LaLiga.
Messi, who converted a spot kick to reach the milestone on Tuesday, has scored 630 times for Barca in 724 appearances in all competitions and another 70 for Argentina in 138 caps.
–IANS
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