Ignoring Messi's advice: Malcom reveals the behind-the-scenes details of his painful exit from Barcelona

In an interview carried by the Spanish radio station "Cadena SER", Al-Jazira's Malcom looked back on his only season with Barcelona. It began as a dream. It ended with a surprise move to Russia, despite the backing of the greatest player in the club's history.

The 29-year-old had joined Barcelona from Girondins Bordeaux after a stunning campaign, scoring 12 goals and providing 7 assists in 38 matches. The deal looked like the arrival of a new star. But limited game time and awkward circumstances stopped the leap everyone had expected.

Nostalgia crept in as Malcom reflected on that period: "I always tell my friends that I played alongside Messi for a whole year. It was a wonderful experience. He always treated me with great kindness".

The real surprise came when the Brazilian revealed the moment before his departure to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2019/2020 season. Messi himself came to speak to him in a final attempt to convince him to stay.

Malcom recounted what happened: "When I was about to leave for Russia, Messi came to talk to me and said: you are a player with a brilliant future, and you will become a great footballer. He asked me to stay. He said: stay here, you are one of Barcelona's players of the future".

He had not expected those words from the Argentine legend, who saw in him a talent worth the patience and the chance, and rated him among the club's brightest prospects at the time.

The backing counted for plenty. The decision to leave counted for more. Malcom's desire to play regularly and rack up minutes won out over staying among the world's elite without a key role.

Why did he accept Zenit's offer? "I was young and I wanted to play matches, gain experience and show my potential. I wanted to show my abilities on the pitch".

As the years passed, he began to rethink the call, admitting that leaving the Camp Nou may not have been the ideal step for his career, even if he felt at the time he needed a team that would hand him a prominent role: "Maybe my decision was not the right one, but I was looking to play regularly, and that is why I chose to move to Russia".

One season was all his Barcelona spell lasted. Yet Malcom holds unforgettable memories of his time with Messi, a pivotal figure in his development as a footballer.

He signed off with warmth: "I learned a lot from Messi. He was always talking to me, encouraging me, and helping me. It was an exceptional season that I will never forget".