Paris Saint-Germain has had a largely flawless season so far. After six match days in Ligue 1, PSG have 18 points in their account.
Visible to Messi’s displeasure, who even refused to shake hands with the coach. Pochettino justified the “lese majesty” after the game: “The whole world knows that we have great players. 35 players, only eleven can play. We are here to make decisions for the good of the team.”
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The Argentine emphasized that he only wanted to spare Messi. Nevertheless, the question slowly arises why the superstar has not yet been able to ignite in Paris.
Lionel Messi not involved in PSG game
In his three appearances for PSG, Messi remained without a goal participation. After his move, fans cheered Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in the face of their new miracle storm. But the “MNM” trio doesn’t (yet) work.
The newcomer from FC Barcelona, where the team was built around him, does not seem integrated, he lacks the connection to the game. The Argentine can only show his skills occasionally, for example with his free-kick hit against Lyon (37th minute).
Bernd Schuster, former Real Madrid coach, said in the “Bild”: “Neymar and Mbappé can also win games in Paris. Messi has to learn that over the next few years and see it positively so that it doesn’t become difficult in Paris.” At Barça, Messi was the player on whom “the entire team depended. Replacing him was not an issue.”
Dispute with Messi after substitution? That’s what coach Pochettino says
PSG colleague Di María reports of problems
In the past ten years with the Catalans, the superstar has only been replaced 18 times. But even in Barcelona, these decisions by Messi’s coaches were often visibly disapproved.
The French sports newspaper “L’Équipe” asked itself after the incident at the weekend: “Will Messi’s substitution for Lyon leave its mark?” Because the Argentine should generally not feel completely comfortable in the new environment.
Team-mate Ángel Di María reported in the Argentine newspaper “Olé”: “It’s not easy for him. When Leo comes to dinner, there are always motorbikes or cars nearby. The people here are actually very respectful. But we can now with Leo nowhere to go. ” He and team-mate Leandro Paredes want to help Messi find permanent home, according to Di María, allegedly in Yvelines, near the PSG training ground.
So far Messi lives in a hotel. The cosmopolitan city of Paris with its over two million inhabitants is apparently too much for the reluctant Argentine. In Barcelona he had previously lived with his family in the remote coastal town of Castelldefels.
Lionel Messi (r.) With teammate Neymar
Fotocredit: Getty Images
Ex-professional: “MNM” trio “makes PSG worse”
In addition, the 34-year-old did not leave FC Barcelona voluntarily. The financially troubled Catalans could no longer afford their own home. So Messi had to say goodbye to his youth club in tears. PSG took the free transfer Argentine with a kiss and has been dreaming of the big coup, the Champions League title, which Messi should finally bring to Paris.
But whether the superstar is really the decisive factor remains to be seen. Ex-striker Michael Owen even believes that Messi signing will not bring PSG any advantage. At BT Sport, the 41-year-old said: “We have certainly all been looking forward to this trio of strikers and they are phenomenal individual players. But the three together make PSG worse in my opinion.”
In addition, the signings of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Sergio Ramos are more important to PSG than Messi’s move. Ex-pro Thierry Henry, on the other hand, believes the Argentine will soon show his full potential. The Frenchman said on “Amazon Prime”: “It takes time to adapt – even for the best player in the world.”
PSG lacks the balance
Also the French one Eurosport-Editor Cyril Morin warns to give Messi enough time: “We must not forget that he has only recently been part of the team. These players also need time to get used to. He is not completely invisible, but neither is he the Messi we are know from Barcelona. ”
The rhythm is simply missing, according to Morin, who sees one of PSG’s main problems in the lack of balance between offensive and defensive. “Against Bruges, the team was split in two: seven players defended, three only attacked. Pochettino will have to order one of the trio to do defensive work,” he said Eurosport-Editor.
When asked about the lack of interaction between his strikers, the PSG coach himself said: “We need time for them to develop an understanding for each other.” The months to come will show who is right in the end. Because after 16 years in the same club, you have to give a world footballer the time to get used to it.
