Paredes Recalls Intense Messi Clash: “He Wanted to Kill Me”

Leandro Paredes, now a trusted teammate of Lionel Messi for both club and country, has opened up about a heated moment that once had him fearing his relationship with the Argentine icon had reached breaking point.

The incident occurred during the Champions League Round of 16 in 2021, when Paris Saint-Germain stunned Barcelona with a dominant 4-1 away win. Messi scored first in the match via penalty, but emotions ran high as competition intensified — especially between the two compatriots.

Messi lost his cool after overhearing a comment

In an interview with Caja Negra, Paredes recalled a tense exchange that caught him off guard.

“He got angry, because I had made a comment to my team-mates and he heard me,” said Paredes.

“He became really angry. He f*cked me up. It was bad. He wanted to kill me and I wanted to go home.”

Though the exact remark was never made public, it was enough to provoke a rare burst of visible fury from Messi — known more for his calm leadership than explosive outbursts.

What happened after? Messi moved on like nothing happened

Fortunately for Paredes, the drama didn’t carry over to their next encounter.

“Afterwards I saw him in the national team and he acted as if nothing had happened,” Paredes explained.

“He showed me what he is like as a person. The relationship continued as it was.”

According to Paredes, the incident has since become an inside joke between them — a story they now laugh about, though it didn’t feel that way at the time.

From rivals to teammates: the bond grew stronger at PSG

Paredes joined PSG from Zenit Saint Petersburg in early 2019. When Messi joined the French club in the summer of 2021 after leaving Barcelona, the two were reunited — not as rivals, but as teammates on both club and international levels.

They went on to play crucial roles in Argentina’s Copa America 2021 title and were key figures as La Albiceleste geared up for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The moment revealed Messi’s fire — and Paredes’ respect

While the story offers an amusing anecdote in hindsight, it also shows Messi’s intense competitive spirit — even toward friends — and Paredes’ humility in accepting the lesson.

What started as a tense clash became a story of mutual respect and camaraderie, proving that even football’s biggest stars can have their boiling points — and bounce back stronger together.