5 reasons why Lionel Messi has failed to hit the ground running at PSG so far
Lionel Messi's transfer to PSG sent shockwaves across the football world this summer. The Argentine was expected to continue at Camp Nou after reaching an agreement with Barcelona. But the Blaugrana couldn't tie him to a new contract amid their financial constraints, paving the way for the Parisians to snap him up.
Leo has already got his PSG career underway. The attacker has made eight appearances for the Parisians across all competitions so far this season. However, the journey has proven to be a tough one for the former Barcelona captain.
Lionel Messi needed four games before scoring his first goal for PSG during their Champions League clash against Manchester City in September. More worryingly, the Argentine has failed to record a goal or assist for the Parisians in Ligue 1, despite playing five games so far.
As the season progresses, Leo's poor form is becoming a major point of concern for his team and fans. That has inspired us to analyze his situation at the Parc des Princes and highlight five reasons he's failed to hit the ground running so far.
#5 Unceremonious exit
Those who have kept a close eye on Lionel Messi over the last couple of years will realize that he doesn't look very happy at PSG right now. That surely has something to do with the way his exit from Barcelona was handled.
Leo Messi to Sport: “No one from Barcelona asked me to play for free, I got a cut of over 50% and I was willing to help the club even more. President Joan Laporta’s words hurt me - I did not deserve it”. 🔴 #Messi
The Argentine wanted to continue in the Catalan capital and even agreed to slash his salary by 50%. Barca president Joan Laporta promised to make his continuity a priority but failed to keep his promise. Leo recently revealed he was hurt by Laporta's comments suggesting he should've played for free, noting that no one approached him with such a request.
#4 Full career at Barcelona
Before leaving for PSG this summer, Lionel Messi had spent his entire professional football career at Barcelona. The playmaker switched to the Catalan capital as a 13-year-old kid, broke through the youth ranks at the club and established himself in the senior team.
In 2000, a 13-year-old Messi arrived in Barcelona with a head full of dreams.
21 years later, he leaves with the world at his feet. https://t.co/5aCOW1dJk0
Football is no rocket science. It will surely take time for the attacker to blend into a new system. It goes without saying there's a huge difference between the style of play adopted by Barcelona and that of PSG.