Barcelona are set to take on Paris Saint-Germain tonight in what promises to be a riveting affair between two of Europe’s strongest teams right now.
There is much excitement heading into this game, even for former PSG player Mohamed Sissoko, who offered his thoughts on the encounter.
Sissoko also opened up about his failed move to Barcelona as well as giving his verdict on the upcoming Ballon d’Or.
Sissoko on failed Barcelona move
The former Mali midfielder revealed, in an interview with the WinWin portal, that Barcelona had genuinely pursued him during his time at Liverpool, only for the move to fall through.
Sissoko also played for Juventus during his career. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“It’s true, I received an offer from Barcelona when I was playing for Liverpool. The talks were serious, but in the end the operation did not materialize,” he revealed (h/t SPORT).
The midfielder added that Liverpool simply did not want to sell him at the time.
“Liverpool refused to sell me and I did not want to leave either, since things were going very well for me,” he added.
Asked whether he looked back on the collapse with any sense of regret, Sissoko said, “Honestly, no, I don’t regret it at all.”
Verdict on PSG vs Barcelona and Lamine Yamal
As far as tonight’s showdown is concerned, the former PSG man is anticipating a high-quality, high-stakes affair between two star-studded sides.
Sissoko is looking forward to Barcelona vs PSG game. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
“I think it’s going to be a tough game, because we are talking about Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and both teams have exceptional players. I hope there will be a lot of goals. It could be considered a kind of early final,” he said.
Sissoko, who also praised Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick as among the best coaches in the world, reserved his most glowing words for Lamine Yamal, whom he considers the finest player on the planet.
“He’s playing at an extraordinary level and, in my opinion, he’s currently the best player in the world,” he added.
Finally, the former midfielder threw his full support behind the teenager’s bid to claim the Ballon d’Or. “He deserves it one hundred percent,” he concluded.