“He made jokes… then that changed” - Sergino Dest opens up on losing ‘feeling of fun’ at Barcelona after Lionel Messi exit

PSV fullback Sergino Dest has revealed how the Barcelona dressing room atmosphere changed after Lionel Messi left the club. He shed light on how the Argentine kept all the players close but that changed after he left for Paris.

Dest stated that he was happy in his first year at Barcelona after joining in 2020 because of Messi. He told SPORT (via GOAL):

"Messi, of course. You see him on YouTube, in video games... and suddenly he's there, in front of you. There was a good atmosphere in the dressing room the first year, he made jokes... then that changed and that feeling of fun was lost a bit."

Lionel Messi had to leave Barcelona in 2021 after the club could not renew his deal because of LaLiga rules. The Argentine went on to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for two seasons before leaving for Inter Miami.

Sergino Dest commented on Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona in 2021

Sergino Dest spoke to ESPN about Lionel Messi's exit in 2021 and admitted that the players felt weird. He stated that everyone was shocked at the announcement as the 'best player in the world' was no longer at the club.

He added that the Argentine was a special player in training and on the pitch and said:

"I was shocked a little bit because everyone wanted him to stay at the club. He's the best player in the world. It was a shock for everyone -- we wish he could have stayed. Unfortunately, he couldn't. At the training ground and on the pitch, you see unbelievable things. You see how he scores those goals. What you see on the pitch is the same, even when you're that close. It's unbelievable to see him like that."

"We all have him in our hearts. It's Messi. It just feels weird because he played for so long at this club, almost his whole life, and suddenly he had to leave. But we have to focus on the new season. We've got some work to do because with Messi it is easier, he's the best player in the world. But I think if we play collectively and keep the chemistry high, we can achieve a lot," he added.

Lionel Messi is currently at Inter Miami and has helped them win the MLS Supports' Shield. He also played a key role in their first ever silverware triumph last season in the Leagues Cup.