Paris did not shine. Paris managed. And Paris won. The French champion has done the job and it is already commendable since he has not always been able to do so in the more or less recent past. We had to be careful not to be more demanding for a resumption match, when OM had won the day before and the Champions League is looming again. And then, in the middle of this necessarily neutral observation, a real light: Lionel Messi.
Since the start of the season, the Argentinian has continued to become himself again. Finally fulfilled, if we are to believe his attitude and his expressions, constantly decisive, the sevenfold Ballon d’Or was also entitled to an evening like any other. After all, he was Christophe Galtier’s most used outfield player and, while he only played just over half an hour in the Albiceleste friendly against Jamaica – enough to afford a double – in the middle of the week, he was returning from a long trip to the United States, to Miami and then to New Jersey.
Ligue 1
Mbappé delivered them
11 HOURS AGO
60th free-kick goal
But it didn’t show. Very explosive, extremely fair technically, La Pulga found the uniqueness of its Barcelona races, in a match where Neymar had decided to be a little more soloist, and where Hugo Ekitike had forgotten to take the depth. This is how he created gaps and pushed Dante to commit a foul 20 meters from his goal. There, we saw him doing what he had never done in Paris. Messi had scored 50 direct free-kick goals with Barça and 9 with Argentina. He rounded the counter at the Park, thanks to a subtle touch of the ball which left Kasper Schmeichel on the spot.
“Lyon must stop being patient with him”: Cherki, the moment to break everything
Magic from a set piece, an expansive celebration with Neymar, a goals and assists tally to 15 (in 12 matches with PSG)… We see less and less what separates this Messi from Messi from Barcelona. Even the ovation from the Parc des Princes, when the Argentinian left at the end of the match, resembled the dozens of others he had received at Camp Nou. Six months ago, he had been hissed. While PSG is still purring, Messi continues his irresistible rise to power.
D1 Arkema
Sandy Baltimore (PSG) targeted by an investigation for violence
YESTERDAY AT 9:35 PM
Ligue 1
Possible first for Ekitike, in place of Mbappé … or Messi