Newell’s confident over Messi return

The vice-president of Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys is certain that Lionel Messi will return to the team he supported as a boy before retiring from football.

The 29-year-old Messi was on the books of the club as a youngster before joining Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2000.

He has gone on to score over 500 goals in his career in Spain, winning 29 trophies in the process.

But Cristian D’Amico believes that before Messi ends his playing days, he will return to his boyhood side.

‘I am convinced, like many of my peers, that we can make history as a club if we get the best player in the world in a Newell’s shirt,’ D’Amico said.

‘I think we’re going to get the pleasure of Messi wearing the shirt.’

‘Imagine a game with Messi in the Coloso (Estadio Marcelo Bielsa - the club’s stadium), with the press around the world.

‘The sponsors who would come... that would make a difference economically, apart from the sentimental value, and could make a big difference to clean up the debts.’

Messi scored twice as Barcelona began their La Liga campaign with a 6-2 rout of Real Betis on Saturday.