Florentino Perez: 'Real Madrid would have liked to have had Lionel Messi'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 20 June 2017

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez backs Barcelona to be stronger next season and admits that he would have liked Lionel Messi in his team.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has admitted that he would have liked to have had Barcelona star Lionel Messi as part of his team, but insists that he has never thought of making a bid for the Argentine.

Messi has long been regarded as one of the top two players in world football and, since 2009, has been in direct competition with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in La Liga.

Perez revealed his admiration for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, though, and also believes that Barcelona still possess a "magnificent" squad despite missing out on the league and Champions League titles to Los Blancos this season.

"I don't think they've been suffering. They had a magnificent season. They won the Copa del Rey," he told reporters.

"They have a magnificent team, maybe they have gaps in the centre of the pitch due to the age of some players, who have grown older. I'm sure they will resolve that. They will continue being our rivals as much in Spain as in Europe.

"We've known [Messi] since he's been in the Barca youth team. I would have liked to have him, but we haven't contemplated it."

Perez also confirmed that Neymar completed a medical with Real Madrid before instead joining Barcelona, where has has since scored 105 goals in 186 games.

"He passed a medical with Madrid. We then saw that it wasn't possible for him to come and that was that," he added.

Perez will stay in his position as Madrid president for a fifth term, keeping him in charge at the club until at least 2021.