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Lionel Messi said he did not want to re-live his traumatic departure from Barcelona two years ago after revealing Wednesday he will join MLS side Inter Miami CF over the Catalan club.
Messi, 35, left Barca in August 2021 as a free agent, signing for Paris Saint-Germain, because they could not afford to register his contract within their LaLiga-imposed spending limit.
Barca were keen to bring the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner back this summer, with coach Xavi Hernandez confirming their interest. However, they were once again in a similar position, unable to be able to offer guarantees that the league will allow them to register new signings.
"I really wanted to come back," Messi told Diario Sport after announcing his move to Miami. "But, on the other hand, after having lived through what I lived through, after the exit I had, I didn't want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what was going to happen. I didn't want to leave my future in the hands of others.
"I wanted to make my own decision for myself and my family. Even though I heard [in the media] that the league had accepted everything and that everything was OK for me to come back. There were still a lot of other things missing.
"I heard that they had to sell players or lower the salaries of players and I didn't want to go through that, nor be responsible or have anything to do with all that.
"When I had to leave, they also said that LaLiga had accepted everything, but in the end it couldn't be done. I was afraid that the same thing would happen again and I would have to rush [a decision] like I did then."
Messi had agreed a contract extension in 2021, but when it emerged one week before the season that Barca could not afford to register the deal with LaLiga, he had to quickly look for a solution away from the club he had spent 20 years at.
He ended up joining PSG, where he won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, but, aside from winning the World Cup with Argentina, he said the last two years had been tough.
"I had to come to Paris, stay in a hotel for a long time with my family, with my children going to school and still being in the hotel," Messi added. "We never, ever wanted to come [to Paris]. It was very, very, very difficult, but the family supports me and it is a collective decision, not only mine. There is a tinge of sadness for them now, because while it was hard for them at the beginning, they are now more adapted to Paris.
"[But] I have just had two years in which things were not great for the family and I didn't enjoy it. That month was spectacular for me when we won the World Cup, but apart from that, it has been a difficult time for me."
Messi also had offers from Saudi Arabia and other European clubs, although he said the idea of playing in MLS and being slightly removed from the spotlight appealed to him.
"I had an offer from another European team, but I didn't even evaluate it because in Europe my idea was only to go to Barcelona," he said. "I'm also at a point where I want to get out of the spotlight a bit, to think more about my family
"After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it was time to go to the American league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the day-to-day, obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win."
Jos Buttler fifty helps Lancashire arrest four-game losing streak
Lancashire 181 for 6 (Buttler 58, Croft 40) beat Worcestershire 177 for 9 (Santner 57, Hose 42, Mitchell 3-9) by four wickets
Opener Buttler posted only his second fifty in 14 T20 innings dating back to April when he was playing at the IPL, hitting five fours and three sixes.
They shared 59 inside six overs for the fourth wicket to advance from 65 for 3 in the ninth over after Colin de Grandhomme's seamers had openers Brett D'Oliveira and Michael Bracewell caught at mid-on and mid-off.
This was a curious innings in so many ways on a two-paced pitch. Santner offered two relatively straightforward catches to Mitchell and Rob Jones on seven and 10, allowing him the chance to take the lion's share of 28 off compatriot de Grandhomme in the 18th over. That included three sixes - one pulled off a no-ball above waist height.
Immediately either side of that over, Mitchell removed Kashif Ali, Ben Cox and Ed Pollock as the the score fell to 173 for 7 in the 19th, Cox and Pollock both falling to Croft catches. The first was a stunner diving away to his left at mid-off. But Mitchell only bowled two overs.
Santner reached a 30-ball fifty in that blitz against de Grandhomme, also ensuring his fellow all-rounder an unwanted place in the Lancashire record books with their most expensive spell of two for 57 off four overs.
In the early stages of Lancashire's chase, Buttler dragged Adam Finch over wide mid-on for four before, in the fourth over, scooping Pat Brown for six over fine-leg and easing him through midwicket for four next ball.
In moving to 19 and the Lightning score to 30 without loss after four overs, it already had a feeling of a return to some kind of form for the superstar opener following a run of five ducks in 13 T20 innings prior to this. And that is how it transpired.
At the end of fifth over, Buttler's opening partner Phil Salt chipped Dillon Pennington to mid-on before Luke Wells miscued Finch high to square-leg in the next as the score fell to 38 for two.
For the next few overs, Buttler and Croft struggled for momentum as the scored moved to 59 for two after 10 overs, 119 more required for the hosts.
Buttler then hit back-to-back sixes off Pat Brown in the next, with another scoop on his way to 50 off 37 balls.
Then 54 runs came off the next four overs before a hiccup. Buttler edged Pennington behind and Croft was run out following a mix-up with captain Liam Livingstone to make it 114 for 4 in the 15th over with 64 more required.
Mitchell then hit a straight six off Santner's left-arm spin to take the target to 31 off 3 overs at 147 for 4.
But Livingstone (23) drilled Brown to mid-off before the four-time England seamer had Tom Hartley brilliantly caught and bowled next ball. At 157 for 6, Lancashire needed 21 off 14 balls.
But that target was reduced to four in the last over, with Mitchell finishing it with a straight-driven boundary on the up.
Travis Head and Steven Smith thoroughly dominate India on day one
Australia 327 for 3 (Head 146*, Smith 95*) vs India
Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj were good as usual with the new ball after India put Australia in. The 12 overs in the first hour conceded just 29 runs, produced the wicket of Usman Khawaja for a duck, and the 21 false responses created suggested there could have been one or two more around the corner.
However, the change-up bowlers, Umesh and Thakur, provided relatively easy runs at various points after that opening spell of play. Umesh provided David Warner a half-volley second ball into the attack, and was then hit for four boundaries square or behind square on the off side in his second over.
Warner would have thought that was the reward he deserved after roughing it out in the first hour, but India enjoyed some good fortune as Thakur had him caught down the leg side off a short ball just before lunch.
India went to Siraj and Shami, the likeliest bowlers to produce a wicket, post lunch. Shami's first ball was a peach, seaming in to uproot Marnus Labuschagne's off stump. India still had a chance there if they could get it right for long enough periods.
Head, who lost his No. 5 position in a horses-four-courses policy in India, had other ideas. Shami had a left-hand batter in sight, he was fresh into a new spell, the ball was still seaming, he beat Head early on, but Head soon imposed his intent on India.
The fifth ball that Head faced was only slightly wide and slightly shot, and he crashed it away for four. His attacking game through the off side soon had India fumbling for ideas. They moved a slip out to put a sweeper back on the off side, but then Head was quick to cash in on anything too straight. Siraj conceded two such boundaries.
In a small byplay at the other end, Smith found it difficult to adjust to the uneven bounce and the sideways movement. His response was different to Head's. He continued to fight it out whereas Head didn't mind attacking. On the surface Head looked better but he offered false responses more often than Smith: Smith's control percentage was 90 to Head's 69. Those, again, are their roles. Smith builds, Head counterattacks.
Things became easier for Smith when Thakur went searching once too often. Thakur is an ambitious bowler who bowls full and straight more often than the others. It probably works when you are bowling off the pressure created by three world-class quicks. Playing as the third seamer practically, he probably went full once too often. Smith cashed in, and a 16-run over resulted.
Australia went into tea at 170 for 3 with Head on 60 off 75 and Smith 33 off 102. India began the final session with Umesh and Jadeja, the least likely bowlers to take a wicket at that point. That told you all about the state India found themselves in.
Soon Shami came back, and India began to test Head with the short stuff, probably too late in the piece. Head took it on, going hard at it. He bottom-edged two hooks from well outside off, but then began ramping the ball. He was by no means at home against the short ball, but the runs kept flowing. Umesh began to leak to Smith from the other end.
Woefully behind the over rate, the two-and-a-half hour final session began to look even longer for India. Head took 32 off the first 18 balls he faced in the session. Siraj and Shami then placed a fine deep third to block the ramp, had men catching on the hook, and kept bending their backs. Shami bowled a seven-over spell, Siraj kept drawing uneven bounce, Head went through the 90s looking uncertain but riding his luck. He was hit on the head twice, but kept hooking.
By the time Head brought up his hundred, India were forced to make bowling changes, and batting seemed easier again. India took the new ball 20 minutes to stumps, which brought about more plays and misses from Head but also three more boundaries for him. Smith ended the day with an ominous cover-drive for four off the last ball.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
Travis Head: Hopefully I don't get dropped too much in the future
Whichever way the argument is spun with statistics, it will go down as one of the stranger selection calls in recent times, even when Head's previous struggles in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022 are factored in, but he insisted there is no lingering resentment.
"It honestly doesn't faze me," he said at The Oval. "Very privileged to be where I am and do what I do. We've got a very strong squad of guys, selection isn't always going to go your way, it hasn't in the past, that's out of my control. All I can do is be as consistent as I can be on the field, [and] off the field enjoy myself.
"Yes, I'd love to play every Test but that won't always be the case. That gives good perspective to moments like this. Hopefully I don't get dropped too much in the future but it will definitely happen … it doesn't give me extra fuel.
"I know certain decisions haven't gone my way in the past but I feel like I [have] got a fair bit to contribute to this team and [am] valued within the team. I've got the backing of the staff and the captain and the players so it's nice."
Like Nagpur, The Oval is also a ground where Head has been on the rough end of a selection call when he was omitted from the final Test of the 2019 Ashes. This time his sixth Test century, and the fourth in this edition of the World Test Championship, three of which have come at decisive stages of an innings, powered Australia to 327 for 3 at the close.
"If you get it in the right area there's plenty there," Head said. "As the game goes on, hopefully it gets a little quicker for us and we can find the right lengths, and I feel if you do that for long periods of time it can be a challenging wicket.
"That good length at the top of the stumps was hard work. And as we [saw] when they went to that short-pitched plan it wasn't the most consistent wicket, and the Dukes swings a little so it made for some awkward moments."
World Tour defectors still ineligible for Ryder Cup
TORONTO -- DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley on Wednesday told his golfers that those who resigned their memberships to join the LIV Golf League probably won't be reinstated this season, making them ineligible to compete in the Ryder Cup later this year.
Nine DP World Tour members resigned after being punished for competing in LIV Golf events, including Ryder Cup veterans Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson, who was stripped of his captaincy of the European team after signing to play for LIV Golf in July.
Richard Bland, Martin Kaymer, Dean Burmester and Abraham Ancer were the others to resign from the DP World Tour.
The Ryder Cup is scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club outside Rome.
On Tuesday, the DP World Tour formed an alliance with the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is funding LIV Golf. In announcing the agreement, the tours said they would work to establish a "fair and objective" process for players seeking reinstatement, but that won't begin until after the 2023 season.
"There have been several suggestions that with the joint commitment to end further litigation between the parties, this also means our sanctions against players who broke our Regulations will be waived," Pelley wrote in a memo to players, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN on Wednesday. "That is not the case. The suspensions and fines previously imposed remain effective."
Pelley wrote that the players who resigned their memberships and wanted to seek reinstatement had to notify the DP World Tour by May 1. None of the nine players did, according to Pelley.
"The ruling in that arbitration court was upheld [in April] that the European Tour can uphold the rules and regulations and sanction people for leaving the tour, for harming the tour," Rory McIlroy said Wednesday. "And again, I think it's a moot point, because all those guys have resigned their membership. If you're not a member of the European Tour you can't play the Ryder Cup, so to me it's a moot point."
Players competing for Europe in the Ryder Cup have to be from European countries and be active members of the DP World Tour.
"They would have to ask for reinstatement, and there would have to be proof of an exceptional circumstance to allow it," Pelley said. "It would be difficult and highly unlike that that would happen."
Garcia, who is Europe's highest career points scorer in the Ryder Cup, said he resigned after European captain Luke Donald told him he "had no chance" of making the team.
"It's a shame that there were some resignations," Donald said at last month's PGA Championship. "A lot of these guys have built their legacy around DP World Tour members and their participation and everything with the Ryder Cup. But ultimately that was their decision, and unfortunately they're off the table now for selection purposes for myself."
Titans to host WR Hopkins on free agent visit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is set to make his first free agent visit when he meets with the Tennessee Titans.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel confirmed the team is hosting Hopkins early next week.
"We want people that want to be here," Vrabel said Wednesday when asked about Hopkins' visit. "Then if that works out then you go on to the next step."
Vrabel was the linebackers coach and later the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans when Hopkins was voted to two of his five career Pro Bowls. Hopkins posted 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 when current Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly was calling the plays for the Texans.
The Cardinals released Hopkins on May 26. His future with the Cardinals had been in question since the end of the 2022 season because of his team-high $30.75 million cap hit, which ranked tops among wide receivers in the NFL and seventh highest overall.
The Titans wide receiver group had a total of two 100-yard receiving games last season. Hopkins matched that total despite missing the first six games of the season serving a suspension for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. He finished the season with 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.
Hopkins, an 11th-year veteran, just turned 31 years old Tuesday. Adding a player with Hopkins' experience to a relatively young wide receiver group like the Titans would provide valuable veteran leadership.
Second-year receiver Treylon Burks is expected to be the No. 1 receiver for the Titans. He said Wednesday that the addition of Hopkins, one of his favorites whom he has watched since he was younger, would be a plus.
"He would be a great mentor," Burks said of Hopkins. "He's an awesome player and he just carries himself the right way, and then his game on the field just speaks for itself."
The Titans currently have around $8 million in cap space. They would likely need to free up some money if they were to sign Hopkins.
A's stadium plan revisited in legislative session
CARSON CITY, Nev. -- The Oakland Athletics' search for a new home has drawn Nevada lawmakers into a special legislative session Wednesday to weigh whether the state should cover $380 million of the $1.5 billion stadium planned for the Las Vegas Strip.
The public funding would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.
The A's would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.
The proposed 30,000-seat stadium would be the smallest in Major League Baseball.
The Legislature adjourned Monday after its 120-day, biennial session with disputes over one of the five major budget bills that funds capital improvement projects. On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo held a special legislative session to pass that bill.
Lombardo's office had introduced the stadium financing bill with less than two weeks left in the regular session. It is unclear how many days the second special session will last.
Special sessions are fairly common in the Nevada Legislature, which lasts for four months every other year. There have been seven since 2013 for a variety of reasons -- pandemic protocols, statewide redistricting, budget disputes and approval for $750 million in public funding to help build Allegiant Stadium when the Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas.
The A's have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team previously sought to build a stadium in Fremont, California, as well as in San Jose and finally on the Oakland waterfront -- all ideas that never materialized.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said that a vote on the Athletics' prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.
Watch the moment Andy Murray seals the straight-set victory against Bu Yunchaokete to make the quarter-finals of the Surbiton Trophy Challenger.
READ MORE: Andy Murray reaches quarter-finals with straight-set win over Bu Yunchaokete
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Surbiton Trophy: Andy Murray reaches quarter-finals with straight-set win over Bu Yunchaokete
Great Britain's Andy Murray is through to the quarter-finals of the Surbiton Trophy Challenger event after a straight-set win over Bu Yunchaokete.
The former world number one won 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 against the Chinese qualifier, who is 173rd in the rankings.
Murray, 36, skipped the French Open to focus on the grass-court season and hopes to be seeded at Wimbledon.
He will face Jason Kubler next after the Australian beat Britain's Ryan Peniston 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
Murray was the first to pounce in the opening set, breaking for a 4-2 lead before Yunchaokete broke back instantly.
Yunchaokete grew into the match and saved two set points but Murray dominated the resulting tie-breaker to take the lead.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray cut a frustrated figure after missing out on a break point for a 3-2 lead in the second set, but the Scot was able to achieve a break two games later.
Murray then served out the match, sealing victory with his 16th ace of the day.
Murray is 43rd in the ATP world rankings and needs to climb about 10 positions to be seeded at Wimbledon, where he is a two-time champion.
In the women's draw at Surbiton, British number two Jodie Burrage was beaten despite going a set up against compatriot Yuriko Miyazaki, who triumphed 3-6 6-2 6-4.
Burrage had been the leading contender to replace Emma Raducanu as British number one, but needed to reach at least the quarter-finals at Surbiton.
Raducanu was forced to miss the French Open and will not return for Wimbledon this year as she recovers from minor surgeries on her ankle and hands.
Earlier, Harriet Dart fought back from a set down against Belgian Magali Kempen to win 2-6 6-4 6-3.
She will play top seed Tatjana Maria next after the German, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, beat Carole Monnet of France 6-4 2-6 6-3.
French Open 2023 results: Alexander Zverev beats Tomas Martin Etcheverry to reach semi-finals
Alexander Zverev booked an emotional return to the French Open semi-finals with a hard-fought win over unseeded Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
The German, 26, left Roland Garros in a wheelchair last year after badly damaging ankle ligaments in his semi-final against Rafael Nadal, an injury that sidelined him for several months.
But he won 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4 to continue his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title.
The 22nd seed will face either Casper Ruud or Holger Rune in the last four.
Norwegian fourth seed Ruud, beaten by Nadal in last year's final, and Danish sixth seed Rune round off the quarter-finals on Court Philippe Chatrier from 19:15 BST.
Zverev, spurred on by the crowd chanting his nickname 'Sascha', was pushed hard by the unheralded world number 49 but eventually prevailed after three hours and 25 minutes.
After the pair embraced warmly at the net, Zverev let out a huge roar in celebration at securing a sixth Grand Slam semi-final appearance.
"As I have said before, last year was the most difficult year of my life," Zverev said.
"I love tennis with all my heart, I love the competitiveness and that was taken away exactly one year ago.
"I'm so happy to be back on this stage and have the opportunity to play for a Roland Garros title again."
Zverev stands firm to end Etcheverry's fairytale run
Zverev, the 2020 US Open runner-up to Dominic Thiem, now has a chance to reach a second Grand Slam final - an opportunity denied to him by injury in Paris last year.
Twelve months ago, Zverev was pushing Nadal to the absolute limit - their two semi-final sets taking more than three hours combined - before the fall that cost him not only the match but virtually the rest of the 2022 season.
He faced a tough task against Etcheverry, with the world number 49 not dropping a set on his way to a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final appearance.
Zverev started strongly, breaking the 23-year-old's serve in the seventh game of the first set and then saving two immediate break-back points before serving it out.
Etcheverry fought back impressively, breaking Zverev's serve twice on his way to levelling the match and the momentum looked to be swinging in the South American's favour when he broke in the opening game of set three.
However, Zverev battled back from 0-2 down to win five consecutive games to take the third, before edging a tight fourth set to progress.
"He is playing incredible tennis - he reminds me a lot of [Juan Martin] Del Potro, the way he hits his forehand especially," Zverev said of his opponent.
"I think if he continues playing like this, he can be top-10 and win big tournaments. I hope nothing but the best for him."
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