About POP!

POP! is INQUIRER.net’s premier pop culture channel, delivering the latest news in the realm of pop culture, internet culture, social issues, and everything fun, weird, and wired. It is also home to POP! Sessions and POP! Hangout,
OG online entertainment programs in the
Philippines (streaming since 2015).

As the go-to destination for all things ‘in the now’, POP! features and curates the best relevant content for its young audience. It is also a strong advocate of fairness and truth in storytelling.

POP! is operated by INQUIRER.net’s award-winning native advertising team, BrandRoom.

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected]

Address

MRP Building, Mola Corner Pasong Tirad Streets, Brgy La Paz, Makati City

Girl in a jacket

Messi is saddened with Suarez departure

Famous Football star and Barcelona Captain Lionel Messi said his farewell on Friday, September 24, to Uruguayan Striker Luis Suarez the day the latter said his tearful goodbyes to Barcelona after the club sent him to Atletico Madrid.

Messi shared a picture of Suarez and him on Instagram.

“Today I went into the dressing room and the awful truth hit me,” he captioned.

“You deserved to be sent off as what you are: one of the more important players in the history of the club,” Messi added. “And not to be fired in the way they did it.”

“The truth is at this point nothing surprises me anymore.”

Suarez replied to Messi’s post saying “You are the number, don’t let a few people blur what a giant you are for the club and for the world of football.”

See post: 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Ya me venía haciendo la idea pero hoy entré al vestuario y me cayó la ficha de verdad. Que difícil va a ser no seguir compartiendo el día a día con vos, tanto en las canchas como afuera. Los vamos a extrañar muchísimo. Fueron muchos años, muchos mates, comidas, cenas… Muchas cosas que nunca se van a olvidar, todos los días juntos. Va a ser raro verte con otra camiseta y mucho más enfrentarte. Te merecías que te despidan como lo que sos: uno de los jugadores más importantes de la historia del club, consiguiendo cosas importantes tanto en lo grupal como individualmente. Y no que te echen como lo hicieron. Pero la verdad que a esta altura ya no me sorprende nada. Te deseo todo lo mejor en este nuevo desafío. Te quiero mucho, los quiero mucho. Hasta pronto, amigo.

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Sep 25, 2020 at 1:59am PDT

Messi has had a long-running argument with Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu which heated up more after they were humiliated 8-2 by Bayern in a Champions League quarter-final last August.

Messi tried to force his way out before accepting he would have to finish the final year of his contract.

Meanwhile, two of his closest friends on the team, Chilean players Arturo Vidal and Suarez, have left.

Monaco Midfielder Cesc Fabregas said at a press conference that he was unhappy about the way some players had been treated by Barcelona.

“We are talking about players who gave their lives for Barca,” he said. “It makes me sad.” 

“Football isn’t just about what’s on the pitch. Behind the scenes there are many things, and above all people. The club is going through difficult times,” Fabregas stated. “I think a lot will change. I hope that the club will be better.” 

Suarez, who hit 198 goals for Barca, who became the third-highest goal scorer in the history of the club, cried as he bid his goodbye to the club.

Suarez also completed his medical in Madrid on Friday and joined Atletico on a two-year deal. 

“I’m going to keep playing with fresh motivation, with the objective to show I can continue competing,” Suarez said.

“Everyone knows the relationship we have, Leo and Me. I’ve already played against him in the Uruguay-Argentina matches, playing against each other is not going to change the feelings we have for each other.”

Suarez and Messi were neighbors in the beachside suburb of Castelldefels and would always arrive at training together. 

“How difficult it is going to be not to continue to share the days with you, both on the pitch and off it,” Messi wrote in his Instagram post with seven photos attached of the two men together and with their families.

“We are going to miss you very much. It’s been many years, many cups of mate, lunches, dinners … Many things that I will never forget,” Messi shared.

POP! Creator Community / Alexandra Del Mundo

Related Stories

Eloquence is a gift of silence
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Popping on POP!