Lionel Messi is expected to leave Parc des Princes in the coming weeks after two dismal seasons. Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier confirmed on Thursday what the world already knew: Lionel Messi will play his last ever game for the French champions against Clermont Foot on the weekend.
Galtier’s statement was, predictably, brief for a player who had been a major focus for several months. He recognised Messi as the best player of all time and urged disgruntled PSG supporters to offer him a “warm welcome” at Parc des Princes on Saturday, something they will almost certainly fail to do.
Despite his skill, Lionel Messi has never had the same impact at PSG as he had at Barcelona. That comes as no surprise in some ways. He’s in his thirties and has never wanted to leave his boyhood club. However, there are more reasons to it, as we have listed below.
Lionel Messi’s failure to deliver Champions League glory
Despite their brilliance, the Parisians just cannot compete on the European front. And it’s not all Lionel Messi’s fault, who was rather brought in to help Mbappe co win the coveted Champions League. During the Argentine’s two years in Paris, the team has been beaten by a rampaging Karim Benzema and outperformed by a more balanced Bayern Munich.
The Argentine arrived in Paris hoping for, if not expecting, European triumph. PSG is expected to win the Ligue 1 title every year, whether or without Messi. Nonetheless, Messi has been singled out, which is probably bit harsh.
The Saudi trip and the suspension that followed
When Lionel Messi decided to be a tourist ambassador for Saudi Arabia a year ago, he received a staggering €30 million from a country linked with a slew of human rights violations. To his credit, Messi has demonstrated unflinching support for the cause, as seen by his unofficial travel to the Middle East a month ago to meet the terms of his contract.
After an embarrassing loss to Lorient, the Argentine notoriously skipped training and jetted out to Saudi Arabia for a quick visit. For his troubles, he received a two-week suspension from the Parisian club. Messi, for his part, claimed that he had previously postponed the trip and that the entire incident was the result of a breakdown in communication with the club. It was viewed by fans as the behaviours of a player who no longer cared.
Constant friction between Messi and the PSG fans
Messi’s adoptive home is Barcelona, a place to which he remains deeply attached. PSG, as wonderful as it is and as welcoming as its supporters are, were never able to fill that need. And dealing with that was challenging for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Messi is a high-paid professional player who is expected to perform without complaint. He is not forgiven for what appears to be a lack of effort. But when the expected problems arose, it was evident that the Argentine was not fully committed to resolving them. And as a result, was subject to constant boos and whistling from the home fans.
World Cup hangover
Lionel Messi had won the World Cup for Argentina in Qatar, a prize that had evaded him for the previous 20 years. To celebrate, the Argentine took nearly two weeks off. Meanwhile, Mbappe put himself back into PSG training after losing to Messi in the final.
The comparisons were bound to happen. And it hasn’t stopped since. Messi has been wandering around Ligue 1, his mind either in Doha or in Barcelona. His stats have been favourable, with 12 goals scored since his comeback. Still, that hasn’t stopped the booing from the PSG fans, and Galtier has spent months attempting to avoid concerns about his apparent lack of effort.