PARIS – After a rapturous reception and raucous unveiling to the public on Wednesday Lionel Messi took part in his first session at Paris Saint-Germain's Camp des Loges training facility on Thursday.
The 34-year-old former Barcelona player has been on downtime since winning the Copa America with Argentina in July, and started his first PSG run-out with simple physical exercises.
"I've been out of action for around month and I need to get physically ready. I hope to be ready as soon as possible, because I can't wait to play," Messi said at his unveiling at the Parc des Princes stadium on Wednesday.
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A new 💎 in Paris !
PSGxMESSI ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/2JpYSRtpCy
He is unlikely to make his debut for PSG soon, and certainly not this weekend when Mauricio Pochettino's team play Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
"I can't tell you when my first game will be but I can tell you Im dying to get started," he said. "I want it to be soon."
Messi only arrived in the French capital on Tuesday before penning a two-year contract with the option of a third season.
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The club also revealed on Thursday it had paid a signing on bonus to the player in PSG's own virtual currency which it calls $PSG Fan Tokens, originally sold at 2 euros each and currently trading over 30 euros each.
"The coins are there to create a link between the fans and the club, and it's the first time we have used them in this way," the Parisians said in a statement without saying how many they had given to Messi.
PSG quickly emerged as the favourites to sign Messi following the shock of his departure last week from Barcelona and he arrives eyeing a fifth Champions League, with the most recent of his four victories with his old club coming in 2015.
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PSG are reportedly paying 35 million euros ($41 million) a year to Messi, who will wear the number 30 jersey -- with fans continuing to line up outside the club's different shops in the capital to buy the shirt with his name and number on the back.
AFP