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L’Equipe journalist Hadrien Grenier has claimed that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi only has one thing on his mind: winning the Champions League.
Lionel Messi, who won the coveted European tournament four times in his career, moved to the Parc des Princes last summer. Having spent his entire professional career at Barcelona, the Argentine superstar has not had an easy time adjusting to new surroundings. He has only scored six times in Ligue 1 and cut a frustrating figure in the Champions League round-of-16.
The 34-year-old missed a crucial first-leg penalty against Real Madrid, keeping the Parisians from bagging a more comfortable win. They went into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu with a narrow 1-0 advantage, which did not hold up in front of Karim Benzema. Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick in the final half-hour of the tie to overturn PSG’s two-goal advantage and give Madrid a 3-2 aggregate win.
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Messi was nothing more than a silent observer in the second leg, failing to make an impact in the backyard of his old foes. Frustrated with the no. 30’s performance, Paris Saint-Germain supporters booed the Argentina international in their next league home game.
As per Grenier, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is looking to set the record straight next season. He is supposedly prepared “to do everything” to win the title next season, which must feel like music to the ears of PSG fans.
The former Barcelona skipper’s contract with the Parisians runs until June 2023. There is a provision for an additional optional year (via AS).
Lionel Messi is likely to enjoy a more fruitful season at PSG in 2022-23
Considering the fact that Messi never played outside of Barcelona in his senior career, the switch to Paris was always going to be difficult. The forward has struggled with some niggling injuries, fitness issues, and poor luck in front of goal. The lack of a preseason also kept him from gelling well with his teammates.
Next season, most of these discrepancies should be taken care of. He should have a clearer understanding of the team’s system and his role in it. Finally, his communication with teammates could also improve, which could help his morale as well as performances.
Additionally, if Kylian Mbappe does not renew his contract, we could see Messi in a false 9 role next season. The positional switch which could significantly boost his output in front of goal.
