Fahd bin Nafel, president of Al-Hilal Club, the King of Saudi Arabia’s Cup football champion, refused to answer journalists’ questions about rumors about contracting with Argentine Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain striker, saying, “Do not ask me about Messi.”
Jorge, the father and agent of his son Messi, said that the Argentine national team captain did not “sign or agree” to a contract to play in Saudi Arabia next season, after media reports linked the Paris Saint-Germain striker to a move to Al-Hilal, the Saudi Professional League champions.
Messi’s future in the French club has sparked much speculation in recent days after the club stopped him for traveling to Saudi Arabia and his absence from a training session, but he will participate later today, Saturday, against Ajaccio in the league.
And French media reported last Tuesday that Messi’s transfer to Al Hilal “has already been completed,” adding that the 35-year-old player is in the process of finalizing the last details before signing the contract.
However, the president of Al-Hilal Club told the local Saudi TV channel, Al-Ekhbariya, after his team won the King’s Cup of Saudi Arabia yesterday, Friday, in response to repeated questions from journalists in this regard, “Do not ask me about Messi. When there is something official, we will publish it through the club’s media center.”
And the president of Al-Hilal added about the cup final, “I congratulate all the Al-Hilal fans for winning the title. Our season was very difficult, and the large number of participations and the pressure of the matches made the season difficult for us.”
Al-Hilal healed its continental wounds by winning the King’s Cup for the tenth time and its 66th championship in its history, by defeating Al-Wehda 7-6 on penalties, after it equalized 1-1 with a fatal goal in the final minutes of the match.
Thus, Al-Hilal compensated for its loss in the AFC Champions League final against Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan last Saturday.
Al-Hilal lost its continental title and became far from retaining the local league title, and lost the Super Cup to Al-Ittihad, the league leaders, but it clinched the King’s Cup to be its only title this season.
