"Carried this disastrous team" "Without him, we'd be in the Europa League" - PSG fans feel Ligue 1 giants are 'hopeless' without Lionel Messi after 1-1 draw against Benfica

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) supporters believe their team are too reliant on Lionel Messi following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi was missing once again through injury, as Pablo Sarabia replaced the Argentine on the right-wing. After a tumultuous day for the Ligue 1 champions, Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after it was widely reported that he wants to leave the Parc des Princes.

However, PSG let their lead slip just after the hour mark when Joao Mario dispatched a penalty of his own to earn Benfica a vital point.

C'est terminé au Parc sur le score de 1️⃣-1️⃣ entre le @PSG_inside et Benfica.

#PSGSLB I #UCL https://t.co/gfi3kfXP3y

The result means the Parisians top their group as they have scored one more goal than Benfica in the tournament so far. Juventus' shock defeat earlier in the day against Maccabi Haifa means both PSG and Benfica both look set to qualify from the group.

But the result capped off an incredibly frustrating evening for Christophe Galtier's side, who were without Lionel Messi for the second game running. The iconic forward has netted eight goals and provided eight assists in his 13 appearances this season.

The French champions were also without Lionel Messi for their 0-0 draw with Stade Reims at the weekend and supporters are beginning to spot a trend. After the draw with the Portuguese side, many took to Twitter to mock the Qatari-owned club for their reliance on the legendary forward.

Here are some of the best tweets:

@PSGhub Messi carries PSG

@PSGhub Messi carried this disastrous team 😐

@PSGhub Messi carried ur team 😭😭

@PSGhub Without Messi we are horrible

@PSGhub Missing someone? https://t.co/SoOdvEhGrp

Messi is the GOAT, without him we'd be in the Europa League

We're hopeless without Messi, let's not get it twisted

Without Lionel Messi, PSG have failed to score a single open play goal this season. 🐐 https://t.co/rfoFF9jEMg

Lionel Messi's superstar teammate reportedly wants to leave PSG as he 'feels betrayed'

Earlier in the day, reports began circulating that Kylian Mbappe had told PSG that he was keen to leave the club, despite only signing a new contract in May.

French journalist Julien Laurens told BBC Sport before the Benfica clash that he believes promises made to the French forward were broken. He proclaimed:

"He feels betrayed by the club in the sense that all the things the club promised him when he signed that new deal until 2025 have not happened.

"The promises they would sign a new striker so he could play in his best position off the striker, that Neymar wouldn't be there and he would be sold, that they would sign a centre-back, and he would be at the centre of the project. All of these things have not happened."

He added:

"We knew there were tensions and now he has made his mind up and he doesn't want to be there. He feels he made a mistake by extending his contract and he should have left in the summer, now he is looking at the January transfer window at where he could go."

It is sort of funny Messi and Neymar have spoiled Mbappe’s centre stage by coming back and being brilliant. They’ve also got European Cups.

PSG will next face Marseille at home on October 16 and Lionel Messi's participation remains unsure.