The French media has taken a swipe at Messi. What are they criticising him for?

When Lionel Messi came to PSG, it was expected that the French team would roll everyone with the difference of class. However, the start of his engagement so far has definitely not been as rosy as it should have been. Moreover, now the French media has also taken up his cause.

Messi first came on against Reims for 25 minutes, PSG were already leading 2:0 at that time, the match ended with that result. His first appearance in the starting line-up was against Bruges in the Champions League, but the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Messi made his first appearance in front of the home fans against Lyon, but was substituted in the 75th minute when the score was 1-1.

And he didn’t like it at all, he was definitely not used to being substituted. In Barcelona he was literally untouchable, it was often even rumored that it was Messi who ordered the club’s management whom to bring in and whom to sell.

So when he walked off the pitch he had a rather angry expression, he didn’t even shake coach Pochettino’s hand. PSG then scored in the 92nd minute to make it 2-1 when another substitute Icardi scored after a pass from Mbappé. It is the French youngster who has most overshadowed Neymar and Messi so far, scoring a goal or an assist in every game this season.

Messi has certainly not received praise from the French media. “His time in Paris will be much more complicated than expected,” said the daily Le Parisien.

“Messi is languishing. He is putting his head down more and more, just walking around and not influencing the game at all,” continued one of France’s best-known newspapers.

Although Messi has only played his third game for PSG, he is already receiving criticism for his performances. The Argentine obviously needs time to acclimatise, but as one of the best players in history, miracles were expected from him immediately.

Messi is not helped by comparisons with eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who immediately went on a rampage in his new surroundings. He has already scored 4 goals in 3 games and is a key player for Manchester United.

And the Premier League is, according to many, the best league in the world, while the French Ligue 1 is no longer even among the top 5 leagues in the world.

Source: Le Parisien, Marca