"I hope he stops taking him out" - Argentina teammate requests Galtier to not substitute PSG superstar Lionel Messi during matches
Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister has urged Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Christophe Galtier to allow Lionel Messi to play the full 90 minutes in matches.
Lionel Messi, who swapped Barcelona for PSG last year, has made a flying start to his second season in France. His red-hot form has coincided with Galtier's arrival as the club's new manager.
The Argentina captain has started in each of the Parisians' eight matches across all competitions this campaign. He has found the back of the net four times and provided six assists for his teammates in those games.
Galtier, though, appears keen to manage Messi's playing time to prevent any injuries to him. The former Barcelona forward has only played the full 90 minutes in one of PSG's last four matches.
Mac Allister believes it is evident that the former Barcelona superstar does not like being taken off during games. He has thus requested Galtier to allow the forward to stay on the pitch. The Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder told ESPN [via Perfil]:
"I hope he [Galtier] stops taking him [Messi] out and leaves him on the field because what we all want is to see him play. You can see his fever when they take him out."
🗣 Alexis Mac Allister on Lionel Messi being substituted by PSG coach Galtier: "Hopefully the coach stops substituting him and keeps him on the pitch because what we all want is to see him play." This via @ESPNArgentina. https://t.co/Y8eswMlTy2
Mac Allister, who made his debut for the Argentinean senior team in 2019, has made five appearances for La Albiceleste. He shared the pitch with Messi on three of those occasions.
The Brighton midfielder could be in line to play more matches with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is set to take place in Qatar between November and December.
Lionel Messi has made flying start to second season with PSG
Lionel Messi put an end to his 21-year association with La Liga giants Barcelona last summer. He joined PSG on a free transfer and put pen to paper on a two-year contract with them.
However, the Argentinean icon had an underwhelming start to his time in France, with injuries not helping his cause. He scored 11 goals and provided 15 assists from 34 appearances across all competitions last season.
While his numbers were not bad, many considered it to be poor considering Messi's standards. The Parisians' failure to go beyond the Round of 16 in the Champions League also resulted in criticism towards the forward.
Messi, though, has made a spectacular start to his second season at the Parc des Princes. He will now be hopeful of helping the club win the elusive Champions League this term.