The relationship between Lionel Messi and PSG fans isn’t getting higher. It’s truly turning bitter.
Less than per week after he scored a hat trick and surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina, the world champion was whistled by sections of supporters earlier than and during Paris SG‘s 1-0 home loss to Lyon on Sunday amid persistent rumors he may go away the membership quickly.
The former Barcelona star, who’s out of contract on the finish of the season, didn’t look higher than the remainder of his teammates on the Parc des Princes. He was concerned in a number of good strikes, but additionally misplaced the ball 26 instances because the French league leaders suffered a second straight defeat with out scoring.
PSG has misplaced eight of its 18 video games in all competitions in 2023. It’s essentially the most defeats after 18 video games in a calendar yr since Qatari homeowners took over the membership greater than a decade in the past with the ambition of constructing it one of the vital profitable in Europe.
Despite the a whole lot of thousands and thousands of euros invested, the undertaking has failed to date. PSG remains to be desperately in search of the Champions League trophy it craves after exiting Europe’s prime event in opposition to Bayern Munich within the spherical of 16. And now it is at risk of dropping its home supremacy.
The loss to Lyon adopted a 2-0 defeat in opposition to Rennes earlier than the worldwide break. The back-to-back setbacks have seen PSG’s lead over Lens and Marseille minimize to six factors, with 9 matches left to play.
“This is our eighth defeat in 2023, it’s way too many,” PSG coach Christophe Galtier mentioned.
Messi, who joined PSG in August 2021, has been embodying the crew’s shortcomings despite fairly good statistics. After struggling to adapt to Ligue 1 — the seven-time Golden Ball participant scored solely six league objectives in his first 26 video games — Messi has improved this season as he developed an environment friendly understanding with star ahead Kylian Mbappé.
In 24 league matches, the 35-year-old Messi has scored 13 objectives and delivered as many assists.
But his output has left PSG fans unimpressed, and Sunday’s jeers on the Parc des Princes weren’t the primary to hit Messi.
Messi’s title had already been booed by sections of fans forward of the loss to Rennes final month after some supporters took intention at him following PSG’s elimination to Real Madrid final season.
Galtier mentioned Messi shouldn’t be handled this manner or made a scapegoat.
“Leo Messi tried very hard,” he said Sunday. “There were some technical mistakes in his linkup play, but I think the whistles are hard to listen to because Leo Messi gives so much. It is also down to his teammates in terms of doing more to create more danger in the opposition penalty box.”
In that context of falling out of affection, mixed with PSG’s poor outcomes, the potential for seeing Messi go away is rising by the day. Even extra since Barcelona vice-president Rafael Yuste mentioned final week the membership is in touch with its former golden little one.
“Leo and his family know the affection I have for them,” Yuste was quoted as saying. “Messi knows how much we appreciate him. I would love for him to come back.”
Messi arrived at Barcelona at age 13 and left having received 35 titles. He helped the membership win the Champions League 4 instances, La Liga 10 instances, the Copa del Rey seven instances and the Spanish Super Cup eight instances.
Messi can also be the crew’s all-time scorer with 672 objectives in 778 appearances, and the highest scorer within the Spanish league with 474 objectives in 520 matches.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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