Lionel Messi was not at his best for PSG in his first season. Her penalty against Real Madrid was one of the key reasons for Miss PSG’s exit from the Champions League.
Lionel Messi overtakes a defender in Ligue 1. (courtesy: Reuters)
highlighted
- Lionel Messi scored only six goals and made 14 assists throughout the season
- Messi misses penalty against Real Madrid in Champions League
- PSG won Ligue 1 and were able to retain Kylian Mbappe’s services
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi did not have a good time at his new club in the first season. With only six goals and 14 assists in the entire season, Lionel Messi was incredibly well below the astronomical standards he had set for himself for the past 15-odd years.
A heart-wrenching financial crisis at FC Barcelona saw him move to PSG on a free transfer and at times it seemed Lionel Messi was absent from the game while playing for PSG.
In their Champions League match against Real Madrid, Lionel Messi’s penalty lapse became a crucial one that eventually led to PSG being knocked out by a second-half hat-trick from Karim Benzema.
Speaking ahead of next season, a media shy Lionel Messi told TyCSports that his next season at PSG will be much better now because he can keep his head in the game. Messi came to life in the final days of the season, assisted by Kylian Mbappe scoring a large number of goals for PSG.
“Next season will be better for me with Paris Saint-Germain, I am sure. It was not easy after that scorching summer,” Messi said.
Messi continued, “It was really difficult to understand what had happened, I was not expecting to leave Barcelona – it was a shock.”
PSG have retained the services of Kylian Mbappe, who is almost set to move to Real Madrid this summer. However, the Paris-based club was able to get a rabbit out of the hat by finding a huge amount of money to keep its amulet.
PSG are expected to once again compete for the Champions League net season with three facing Neymar, Mbappe and Messi.