‘I’d hate Messi to join City’

BLUE HEAVEN: Messi may reunite with Guardiola

JUAN MATA is horrified by the prospect of Lionel

Messi coming to join Manchester City.

The Manchester United midfielder has admitted he is desperately hoping that the Argentine will decide against teaming up again with Pep Guardiola when his Barcelona contract expires in the summer.

Mata revealed that friends keep texting him to tell him that Messi will be wearing Sky Blue next season. And he knows that would be bad news for United if the player he rates as the best the game has ever seen moves to his club’s bitter rivals.

Mata, who was speaking in his role as a Laureus ambassador, was asked about Messi’s chances of moving to City.

He said: “Well, I hope not – I hope not for the betterment of my club.

“I don’t know what will happen, but I hope he doesn’t go there. If he comes to Manchester I hope it’s to my club and not the other.

“Of course I have friends that text me ‘Oh, he’s going to go to City’.

“There were rumours too, for example, that Cristiano Ronaldo might come to Manchester.

“But one of the things I realised in professional football is that you should focus on what you can control – and forget about what you cannot.”

Mata would have backed Messi to win a seventh Ballon d’Or this season if the award had not been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That is despite the Barcelona superstar waging war with the Catalan giants to try and force his exit.

Mata said: “I have a soft spot – which is very easy to have – for Messi. He is a guy that every time I see him play football he makes my life better.

“I would give him the trophy for the best player every year.

“I give him the trophy for the best player EVER because, what he’s done in his career and what he still does, is just unbelievable.”