- Title: Argentines rally for Messi to return home
- Date: 28th August 2020
- Summary: ROSARIO, ARGENTINA (AUGUST 27, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN THEIR VEHICLES, ON BIKES FOR RALLY TO CALL FOR LIONEL MESSI TO RETURN TO ROSARIO / WAVING FLAGS THAT FEATURE TEAM COLOURS FOR HOME TOWN CLUB NEWELL'S OLD BOYS SIGN THAT READS (Spanish): "MESSI, THIS IS YOUR HOME" MESSI FANS SITTING ATOP OF VEHICLE AS PART OF RALLY VEHICLES GATHERED FOR RALLY MESSI FANS RALLYING, SETTING OFF FLARES VARIOUS OF MESSI FANS GATHERED ON VEHICLES FLARES GOING OFF BY FANS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MESSI FAN, RODOLFO OLIVERA, SAYING: "We are waiting for you (Messi) in Rosario. Hopefully you can fulfill your dream, which is our hope. Even if it is just for six months, you can come and make us dream a little here, in your country." MESSI SUPPORTERS GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MESSI FAN, DIEGO MONKOVIC, SAYING: "We are very proud, whether Messi comes or not, that is not important. More than anything else we want to thank him. We know that the time will come when he will return to the club just like (Rinaldo) Martino or (Marcelo) Bielsa, who have made history in this club. We need it. Thank you very much." MESSI SUPPORTERS GATHERED VEHICLES AT RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MESSI FAN, NIOLAS MONKIOVIC, SAYING: "Come back Leo (Messi), come for 'La Lepra' (local name for Old Boys fans). This thing that you feel, we all feel it. Leo, please return. We are waiting for you with open arms. Leo, let's go. You are a Newell (reference to local club), you're Argentine, you're a brother. Let's go Newell." MESSI SUPPORTERS GATHERED, FLARES GOING OFF VARIOUS OF CARS IN RALLY
- Embargoed: 11th September 2020 02:40
- Keywords: Argentina Barcelona Lionel Messi Rosario home return
- Location: ROSARIO, ARGENTINA
- City: ROSARIO, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001CT5X5QF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Dozens of Argentines rallied in Rosario on Thursday (August 27) to call on Lionel Messi to return home following his decision to leave Barcelona.
Messi has never made a secret of his desire to play for home town club Newell's Old Boys.
Officials and fans of the club believe Messi will one day pull on their team shirt but they are aware that at the age of 33, Messi probably has a few more years in Europe before heading home for a romantic swansong.
Messi announced he wanted to leave Barcelona on Tuesday (August 25) after spending his entire career at the Catalan club.
News reports in Argentina and Spain said the six-times world player of the year wished to head for Manchester City and rejoin Pep Guardiola, his coach at Barcelona during a gloriously successful spell.
Other reports said Inter Milan, Juventus or Paris St. Germain might be willing to break the bank to lure one of the best players of all time.
Newell's fans, though, are waiting, confident their hero's appearance is a question of not of now but of when.
(Production: Miguel Lo Bianco, Claudia Martini, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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