The contrast is cruel for Lionel Messi. Canonized during his lifetime in Argentina after the title of world champion in Qatar, the seven-time Ballon d’Or was whistled by the Parc des Princes on Sunday, during the defeat of Paris Saint-Germain against Olympique Lyonnais (0- 1). One of the best players in the history of football had already been entitled to this treatment last season after elimination against Real Madrid, symbol of a frankly average first season in Paris, before the start of the 2022-2023 financial year. high flight.
But Messi had been relatively spared in 2023, while his performance leaves something to be desired since his return from the World Cup, as these fans no doubt wanted to say, expressing their dissatisfaction, as soon as the teams were announced.
Approaching the end of his contract, the motivation of the “Pulga” (35 years old) to play a Ligue 1 match is clearly not obvious, even if Christophe Galtier still defended him after the eighth defeat of the PSG since the start of the year.
“The whistles, I find them hard, said the Parisian technician, no more certain than Messi to stay in Paris next season. Leo is a player who gives a lot, who gave a lot at the start of the season, he was also a scorer and a passer in 2023. He is our facilitator, when you try a lot, there is necessarily waste, but around Leo there is need overruns, we can’t expect everything from Leo and Kylian [Mbappé]. »
Disturbed by jet lag?
Unsurprisingly, the Lyonnais (but especially Argentinian) Nicolas Tagliafico also came to the support of his captain in selection, with whom he discussed during the match: “We talked about the return [en club] which was not easy”, explained the defender on ESPN, confiding that he had trouble digesting the shift and sleeping “5 to 6 hours a night”.
“The same thing happens to him”, assures Tagliafico speaking of Messi, with whom he returned to the country during the international break to play two exhibition matches in front of Panama (2-0) and Curaçao (7-0) in front of a cheering crowd. The former Barcelonan scored four goals in these two not-so-high-level matches, before returning to frolic Sunday evening on the lawn at the Parc, a match during which he lost 26 balls…
Whistles that act as repellents
The Argentine press was of course outraged by the treatment reserved by the Parisian public for its idol, sports daily Ole calling the reaction “unbelievable”.
These whistles will not calm the rumors about his future, while every day, a more or less vague leader of the Catalan club announces the coming return of the darling, who can also choose a golden exile in Miami or Arabia saudi.