5 reasons why PSG changing Lionel Messi's position makes them favorites to win the UEFA Champions League this season
Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are off to a flying start in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season. They won their first three games of the campaign by a combined scoreline of 17-3. Christophe Galtier seems to have identified the strengths of his star-studded squad and has already got his team playing some scintillating football.
Mbappé: three goals
Neymar: two goals, three assists
Messi: one goal, one assist
PSG's front three ran riot vs. Lille 😤 https://t.co/5rnwip1MTT
He has tweaked the system that former manager Mauricio Pochettino used last term. The changes have worked wonders as Paris Saint-Germain look absolutely indomitable right now. They also recruited quite well in the summer whilst offloading some players who were not really coming through anymore.
Despite signing Messi last summer, PSG could only win the Ligue 1 trophy in the 2021-22 season. But the legendary Argentine seems to have finally settled down at PSG and is thriving in his new attacking midfield position.
If they can keep up this form, they might even make quick work of the strongest teams in Europe and finally take home that elusive Champions League title. Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why PSG changing Messi's position makes them favorites to win the UEFA Champions League this season.
#5 Neymar allowed to stay more near the box and influence goals for PSG
Neymar Jr. is one of the most technically gifted attackers of the modern era. He is also one of the best dribblers around and there are very few footballers who can navigate tight spaces like the Brazilian.
In Galtier's new system, Neymar plays in a position that's much more advanced than where he was deployed over the past couple of campaigns. The 30-year-old is as unpredictable and intelligent as they come and is a nightmare to defend against.
The results of allowing Neymar to stay closer to the box and influence play inside the final third are very potent. He has scored five goals and provided six assists in just three Ligue 1 appearances so far this season.
#4 Mbappe and Neymar can form a strike partnership
It wouldn't be fair to talk about Neymar and then look past the contributions of his strike partner Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick against Lille on Sunday (August 21). Mbappe and Neymar have shown that both of them together can wreak havoc upon any team.
But now that they've got Messi feeding them from behind, they have become an even more intimidating duo. Neymar doesn't always need to drop deep and look to release Mbappe every time PSG have a chance to counter attack.
With a capable playmaker like Messi behind them, there is always an extra option for passing while counter attacking. Mbappe and Neymar seem to be forming a deadly striking partnership up front for PSG.
12
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé have been directly involved in 76 Ligue 1 goals between them in 2022:
◉ Messi: 8⚽12🅰️
◉ Neymar: 15⚽9🅰️
◉ Mbappé: 23⚽9🅰️
Phenomenal output. 🔢 https://t.co/N2PnwCcvew
#3 Lionel Messi gets more touches on the ball
For much of last season, the Argentina icon showed a tendency to become a passenger in games. This is because he was usually stationed out wide on the right wing and he was not exactly involved in everything Paris Saint-Germain tried to construct in the final third.
But now that he has been positioned more centrally and behind the attackers, he is involved a lot more and that's a great thing for PSG. Few players are better with the ball at their feet than the former Barcelona man.
The record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was always tipped to become a world-class playmaker once he lost a yard of pace. We're seeing that happen right now as Messi is dictating play to great effect as an attacking midfielder.
He is becoming more influential in the final third by virtue of his passing and vision. Messi has already scored three goals and provided two assists in three Ligue 1 appearances, operating behind Mbappe and Neymar.
#2 Brilliant management of Messi
Messi has undoubtedly lost a yard of pace in recent years. One of the things that used to set him apart in his prime was his incredible burst of pace. He could drop a shoulder to send the defender the wrong way, turn on his afterburners and go out of sight in a second.
As he has gotten older, playing out wide has become a whole lot tougher. But in a more central position where the primary attributes required are precise passing, nimble footwork and vision, he is way more effective.
In his new position, Messi seems to have found more time and space and PSG are effectively playing to his strengths and helping him mask his weaknesses. It is top-notch management at the end of the day.
#1 The best link when transitioning from defense to attack
As was evident from the game against Lille, it's hard to find a player who can be a better link between defense and attack than Messi. The 35-year-old's passing, vision and close control makes him a tough player to contain.
He is one of the most technically astute players of all time. Messi doesn't waste any time on the ball and having him dictate play behind Neymar and Mbappe is like activating a cheat code while playing FIFA.