“Messi will go to Saudi Arabia and I can tell you which team”

Al Attiyah He has a part of the heart of Catalan and Barca. The Qatari, current champion of Dakarhas one of its headquarters in Castellfollit del Boixa farm between Manresa and Igualada where he created the ‘Nasser Racing Camp’, a test circuit for rally cars and other off road specialties. The pilot assured MD that he spends many days of the year there with his family, training and enjoying the city and one of his great passions: Barça. is a friend of Xavi Hernandez because he coached the team owned by his immediate family, the Al-Sadd. And in turn, he is a family of the Emir, owner of PSG, so despite being a complete bivouac, it’s fun to talk about football with the remaining head of the car general. the pilot of Toyota, who always knows everything that happens in the Middle East, ensures that Messi will play in Saudi Arabia. He even says what his team will be. Although he says he wrote it “for the sensations” only, he seems to know something more. Messi is known to maintain ties with Saudi Arabia as the country’s tourism ambassador and nothing promotes that goal more than a World Cup. Saudi Arabia hosting dream World Cup 2030 and he has to grow up on the soccer planet with stars in his league. Cristian Ronaldo is already at Al-Nassr with that goal in mind. According to Nassr, Messi would be the best ambassador for that candidacy.

How does this happen?

I am very happy to be in Dakar, with a good lead margin. I will do my best and I will do my best for my country (Qatar), as well as for my friends in Barcelona,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ I received the support of all the people of Catalonia from our Nasser Racing Camp. I’m so happy.

How many days are you in Barcelona a year?

So many. I often go to Barcelona because I love it. There I can properly execute my training plan, preparing myself for the forest and my circuit. It was great to spend time there with my family.

You are friends with Xavi Hernández because he is at your family club, Al-Sadd. How do you see Xavi’s Barça?

Xavi is a great coach, he is very strong. But the problem now is not the coach, it’s the simple fact that you can’t buy a total star because it’s too expensive. The economy of football has grown and the economy of the world, on the other hand, is not easy. What I saw in the Spanish National Team at the World Cup, with many Barça players, is that they are very young and I think this is the future of Barça. But this does not mean anything that Barça now lost or won, but rather that they have to give it time to build a good team.

We know that Barça contacted you a few years ago and asked you to act as an intermediary with PSG, because you are a cousin of the Emir, owner of PSG.

Neymar, he had a hard time returning to Barça. He’s a very expensive player, and he’s not coming back now either. He is 30 years old and cannot come back and play for Barça. Barça today needs a new generation of players to return to being the Barça of a few years ago.

Will Messi return to Barça?

It was difficult for Messi to return to Barça from PSG. PSG has a very strong economy, it has a good balance and a very clear plan. From what I see now, also from Al-Nassr, who signed Cristiano Ronaldo for a crazy million dollar amount, I am sure that Messi, in a few months, about 3 or 6 months, some club in Saudi Arabia will also sign Messi. You’ll see. And I can tell you which team: I am sure he will get to Al-Hilal (Riyadh soccer club).

Yes?

Yes. Football is a business…

But why do you say sure?

I feel…

No other?

Nothing else, believe me… (laughs). He will not return to Barça. He will go to Saudi Arabia as a Christian. There is a lot of money here and players are looking for a big contract.

Why is it so important for Saudi Arabia to sign big stars now?

Because Saudi Arabia wants to host the World Cup. You see in my country, the World Cup in Qatar is incredible and now everyone is pushing for Saudi Arabia to host the World Cup in 2030. I think they need big names in their league now to attract the people who come here and to improve football are thinking about the world cup.

Now let’s talk about the ‘Empty Quarter’, the big desert where the Dakar is now taking place. You are the only rider who has explored this huge desert before the Dakar. Before coming here, the camp heard many stories about this place.

It’s difficult. When you have to go to the Empty Quarter, you always have to go with a crowd, a group of people. A single car cannot enter it, because it is very difficult to get out of it, almost impossible. There is no fuel, because there are thousands of kilometers of sand, and an example… being full of days, to cover 1,000 kilometers of desert you need two or three days. The dunes are slow, difficult, and you have to be a good pilot, have a very good navigation strategy to not get lost, because there are no signs or references visible, they are just dunes. There is nothing. There is no reference point.

Is it dangerous?

Some entered and did not leave, died. If you go to Youtube or search the Internet, you will find it.

Are you afraid of this desert?

I am not afraid because we are going to have a great race, we are very confident and we have everything at our disposal.

What does someone like Nasser fear?

I am not afraid of anything.

Do you think ‘Empty Quarter’ can make a difference in racing?

There may be many differences, but I hope that the organization will make an affordable route, although it is very difficult. It’s just going to be the Empty Quarter…

You shared a team with Fernando Alonso in the 2020 Dakar. You even gave him a master class in dune buggy in Qatar. What do you think about Fernando Alonso returning to the Dakar?

I talk a lot with Fernando Alonso and I’m sure he wants to come back to the Dakar. We don’t talk every week, but we talk often because this year in October Qatar will also host F1 (from October 6 to 8).

How many years will it take to win the Dakar when you come back?

Every driver needs years to win. But sometimes, hopefully you’ll end up on the podium or in the Top-5 and win stages. But to win the Dakar, you need to have experience.

It’s a shame he didn’t win a stage in that edition. It’s coming soon.

It’s a shame he didn’t win any stages, but he can come back next time he decides to stop F1 and he’ll definitely win specials.

Can you imagine Alonso returning to the Dakar without a Toyota?

I’m sure Fernando Alonso will have the option to go back to different manufacturers, not necessarily with Toyota. There is Audi, although I don’t know how long they will stay, there is BRX, Toyota and maybe many other brands will come.