Ligue 1 – PSG – Lionel Messi: what’s wrong with the Parc des Princes?

Wednesday against Angers, it was to be his day. Back from Argentina crowned with a title of world champion, the best player of the last World Cup should have been celebrated as it should be. Any club, any stadium would have celebrated Lionel Messi as they should after his month in orbit in Qatar. But not the Park, nor the PSG. Of course, the risk of seeing the French supporters heckle their executioner existed. But hard to believe that the Parc des Princes would have booed the idol Messi. Leandro Paredes, if he still defended the Parisian colors, could have received a strong welcome. But who can blame Messi?

“He is a decisive player for us. So I have no doubt that it will be very well received“, anticipated Christophe Galtier at the start of the year. The club simply did not want to organize a ceremony. No lap of honor, no bouquet. Nothing at all. After the victory at Châteauroux last weekend, the coach of PSG revealed: “There is no demand and no need on Leo’s part to be celebrated.“It cannot be completely ruled out that the Argentinian does not want a ceremony in a stadium with which relations remain cold after being polar.

March 13, 2021, the turning point

This Wednesday, the Park had 1000 good reasons to celebrate Messi and Messi had 1000 good reasons to commune with the Park. The title of world champion, of course. But also a very solid match from the Pulga, decisive on the opener, scorer and much more. A few “Messi, Messi” worthy of Camp Nou came down from the Parisian stands just before he took a free kick from 18 meters but, well chilled by the VAR, he did not celebrate his goal with the stadium.

And as for a year, he went to the locker room as soon as the match was over, leaving it to the others to celebrate the victory with the PSG fans. Like Neymar, in every home game, Messi stands aside from the outpouring of joy after the final whistle. Why ? The two PSG stars have a stubborn grudge. And they have not forgotten the whistles of the Park after the elimination against Real Madrid last March.

Love for Mbappé, respect for Messi

On March 13, during the reception of Bordeaux, the two stars, who had become symbols of QSI’s bling-bling policy, were jeered at as soon as the team composition was announced. Each of their shots is accompanied by a volley of whistles and violent insults. On the contrary, Kylian Mbappé, excellent during the double opposition, is acclaimed. “Mbappé in Paris, Leonardo in the pillory”, warns the only banner that passes the roadblocks.

Since then, the two former Barcelonans never linger on the lawn of the Park, which has not increased their love rating. When that of Mbappé, swollen by a formidable World Cup, is at the top, when Bondy’s bombshell now has its own song and the Park is finally dripping with love for him, the Parisian enclosure experiences only an immense respect for Leo Messi. Like his return against Angers full of deference but without passion.