"Lionel Messi at PSG is a mistake" - Jerome Rothen claims Messi sets up a 'false rhythm' that doesn't 'correspond' to his teammates
Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had a night to forget when they took on Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday (November 24). Following the 2-1 defeat in Manchester, former PSG attacker Jerome Rothen has opined that signing the Argentine was a blunder from the French giants.
Lionel Messi has endured a tough outing in his first few months at the Parc des Princes as his adaptation struggles continue. Rothen has reminded the former Barcelona maestro of the huge expectations on his shoulder in Paris, noting that he is already running out of time.
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Rothen was quoted as saying:
"I think so more and more that Messi at PSG is a mistake. When you take Lionel Messi, you expect a lot of things, individual achievements that have been hard to see since the start of the season. He improves his teammates."
The Frenchman added:
"Then you have to stop telling me that he is still breaking in. You don’t have time! We are arriving in December."
Lionel Messi's chemistry with his colleagues at PSG has left a lot to be desired. Rothen believes the Argentine is suffering from not having the right players who can complement him at the Parc des Princes.
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Rothen said:
"There are not around the players to allow Lionel Messi to have a hold on the team. He sets up a false rhythm which does not correspond to the players who are around."
The former PSG winger also went on to add:
"The Parisian leaders did not realize that you have to have players who go in his direction, in his tempo, who allow him to shine."
Lionel Messi's numbers in PSG shirt so far
It's been a difficult start to life for Lionel Messi at PSG. The attacker signed a two-year contract with the Parisians after parting ways with Barcelona this summer. However, his spell at the Parc des Princes so far has produced more questions than answers.
It took Messi six games to score his one and only goal so far for PSG in Ligue 1. The playmaker has had a slightly better outing in the Champions League, where he's found the back of the net three times in four games.
However, Messi's overall chemistry with the team leaves a lot to be desired. Many expected him to combine well with Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe, but the trio have struggled to work together so far.