Barcelona talisman and World Player of the Year Lionel Messi says that he will bounce back from the disappointment of the World Cup during the upcoming season.
Messi has just returned from an extended holiday after the World Cup, in which his Argentina side crashed out in the quarter-finals following a painful 4-0 defeat at the hands of Germany.
“The World Cup affected me a lot because I hoped for more,” he told reporters in South Korea, where Barcelona are currently on a pre-season tour. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old says he has recovered from that disappointment and believes the Catalan giants will be a force again next season.
“I have recovered and I am only thinking about Barcelona now,” he said. “The aims are always the same. This year we will be going for all the titles. We know it’s difficult but we have a great squad. The group is keen to get going again and we are in good shape to get started.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola says he will rest Lionel Messi for the team’s preseason friendly against a South Korean all-star team as the Argentina playmaker continues to recover from the World Cup.
Guardiola said “this is the first training for him for the new season so his condition is not 100 percent.” The decision is a blow to organizers, who have been criticized for high ticket prices and agreeing to the absence of Barcelona’s Spanish World Cup winning contingent. Korean organizer Sports Story said Barcelona is contractually obligated to play Messi for at least 30 minutes.
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