Lionel Messi Regrets Leaving Barcelona & Should "Come Back", Says Former PSG Star Dani Alves

Dani Alves believes that everyone who leaves Barcelona regrets it and he is hoping that Lionel Messi can soon return to his happy place at the Camp Nou.

Messi left Barcelona after more than 20 years last summer when the club was unable to extend his contract due to financial issues.

He joined Paris Saint-Germain where he was reunited with former Barca teammate Neymar, but the Argentina star has not been able to recreate his best form in France.

Messi has only scored two goals in 18 Ligue 1 matches, although he has provided 10 assists.

PSG will almost certainly win Ligue 1 this season but the UEFA Champions League is seen as the big prize at the Parc des Princes. And hopes of UCL glory went up in smoke last week when PSG surrendered a 2-0 aggregate lead to lose to Real Madrid.

Messi was booed by PSG fans days after the defeat to Real, leading many to question his happiness and his future at the club.

"For me, no, he is not enjoying himself," Alves said, as quoted by ESPN.

"Because Leo makes this game special, and he does it when he is having a good time, because when he is having a good time, the others enjoy it."

Alves and Messi were Barca teammates between 2008 and 2016.

Dani Alves and Lionel Messi pictured playing together for Barcelona in 2015

IMAGO/ANP/Laurens Lindhout

Brazilian Alves then had spells at Juventus, PSG and Sao Paulo, before returning to Barcelona late year at the age of 38.

Alves wants Messi, 34, to come home too.

He added: "For me he is out of place, right now Leo is out of place there. Because Leo for me lived in the best place in the world to practice what he loves.

"Leo always told me: 'Where are you going to be better than here?' And I checked, there is no better place than here. Even when it came out that he was leaving, I sent him the same message that he told me.

"For whatever reason he is not here and I hope he can come back. I don't know, but if he comes, let him come here with me, to enjoy at least a little more of all that.

"All the people who leave here regret it, everyone. Some will say no, because they don't like to lose, but all the people who leave regret it."