Simeone denies news that he secretly contacted Lionel Messi. Diego Simeone, the Atletico Madrid coach, immediately denied rumors he had secretly contacted Lionel Messi. But in the end, the Argentine chose to go to Paris Saint-Germain.

Atleti was reported to have tried to approach Messi, who left Barcelona to join the team to play with Luis Suarez again, but in the end, the genius spearhead moved to Paris Saint-Germain.

Simeone said: “We haven’t spoken to him at all. We didn’t even have the slightest chance.”

Speaking on the impact of Messi’s retirement from the Spanish league, Atletico said: “I understand that even the Premier League without Messi or Ronaldo is a very competitive league.”

“It depends on the growth of every club that can make the league competitive without anyone else. As the British have shown it.”