PSG must be wondering how they got it wrong. The Paris team were supposed to light up the world, with their star ensemble the envy of the footballing society. Rather than achieving its aim, the Paris giants have been the subject of jokes and memes.
They believed to have made a massive coup with the summer capture of Lionel Messi for free. It was a signing that was beyond the wildest dreams of the football fraternity. No one expected to see one team having Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. PSG pulled it off, but it is not yielding results and is even bursting at the seams.
Reports suggest that Lionel Messi is unhappy at PSG and has made several trips back to Barcelona. The Argentine’s poor performance at PSG lends credence to the argument that Messi cannot survive outside the habitat provided at Barcelona.
Messi - unhappy at PSG
The arrival of Lionel Messi was supposed to be the biggest news of the year. The signing of the Argentine was the most talked-about sporting story, but it has failed to bring much good on the pitch. The Argentine has struggled to reenact the form that saw him rule the world for many years. The reasons for the poor performance of the Argentine in the French capital are many.
According to El Confidencial, there are multiple reasons for Messi struggling to settle in Paris. The report claims that Messi and his family are struggling to break through the language barrier, despite the club organising private language lessons for the Argentine superstar.
Another reason adduced to his failure to hit the heights is that Messi misses the weather in Catalonia. He has not adjusted to the cooler climate that Paris has. The report says he gets support from a former teammate and close ally - Luis Suarez. According to Suarez, Lionel Messi told him he was in pain in the French capital. The Uruguayan striker made this assertion earlier in the season.
Messi also misses his old residence in Castelldefels. It is 20 km outside of Barcelona. The Argentine’s new abode does not have a football pitch, swimming pool or the extensive garden that he had grown used to, while he no longer has a scenic view of the mountains and sea.
Poor form at PSG
The Argentine has struggled to create any spark and has scored just one domestic goal for PSG. He has six goals and four assists for PSG in 18 appearances in all competitions. The numbers are at best pedestrian, and PSG is still waiting for the genuine article to surface.
PSG were kicked out of the Coupe de France by Nice in a game the 34-year-old failed to exact any influence. Despite a few minor injury setbacks and a bout with covid, Messi has cut a frustrating figure this season. The Argentine’s unhappiness is the reason for his frequent trips to Barcelona amid his nostalgia for the Catalan capital.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
