A dinner in Ibiza: Marco Verratti and the behind-the-scenes of Lionel Messi's arrival at PSG

Marco Verratti recalled an unexpected yet decisive chapter in recent European football history. This is the behind-the-scenes story of Lionel Messi's signing by Paris Saint-Germain.

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former midfielder of the Parisian club revealed how a simple dinner in Ibiza, together with Neymar, Leandro Paredes, Ángel Di María, and Messi himself, foreshadowed what would become one of the most impactful transfers of the century.

"I remember a fantastic night that became almost magical. We were in Ibiza, Neymar came to tell me we were going to have dinner with Leo Messi that night. So we ended up at the same table: Leo, Paredes, Ney, and Di María. We talked and had a great time. We encouraged him, so to speak, to come to Paris," Verratti recounted. The next day, the bomb exploded: Messi was breaking with Barcelona.

The Italian, who currently plays for Al-Duhail in Qatar, enthusiastically shared how he found out about the news: "That same night we said goodbye, and the next day we read there were problems between him and Barcelona. Then, early in the afternoon, Neymar called me: 'Marco, Leo is coming to see us.' Incredible: from inviting him to dinner to having him as a teammate. A magical night."

He also praised Thiago Motta ("he saw things before anyone else") and current coach Luis Enrique: "He created a great group, they think a lot about the collective. They're going to win for years and years."

Regarding his departure from PSG, he denied reports suggesting he had been pushed out by the coach. "It's false that I left because Luis Enrique requested it. My conversation with Nasser was earlier. I wanted new challenges," he assured, adding that he keeps a great relationship with the club president.

Now settled in Doha, the 31-year-old midfielder highlighted the playful joy he has rediscovered in Qatari football: "In Paris, winning had become monotonous, repetitive. Here, I saw the happiness of winning again like when you were a child."

Finally, he left the door open to fulfill an old dream: to play at least one minute in Serie A with his beloved Pescara, the club where he began his career and of which he is now co-president.

His time at PSG and several compliments

Beyond that anecdote, Verratti reviewed his time at PSG, where he played 416 matches and won 30 titles, and highlighted the human qualities of several figures with whom he shared the locker room. "Neymar? A golden boy, generous, humble. Like Mbappé, who is hungry, competitive. I'm convinced that sooner or later he'll win the Ballon d'Or," he stated.