"Good stats for an average player" - Former PSG star suggests Lionel Messi will never be the same player again
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Mathieu Bodmer has made a bold claim about Lionel Messi's underwhelming first season in France.
Mathieu Bodmer stated that the 34-year-old forward understands why Messi struggled to get up to speed in Ligue 1. The 39-year-old believes the seven-time Ballon d'Or will never replicate his Barcelona form in Paris. Bodmer, however, suggests Messi's transfer has been a hit off the pitch.
Speaking on RMC (via Football365.fr), Mathieu Bodmer was quoted as saying the following:
"He has good stats for an average player. We would have liked to have them. But when you relate that to a Messi, who we had known with 50 goals per season, it is insufficient. Now, we have to consider the time."
"He is 35 years old, he has aged and it will never again be the club he knew ten years ago. But the club is still happy because it has brought a lot to the marketing level."
La saison de Messi est-elle un échec total ? 
Pour Jérôme Rothen et Mathieu Bodmer, c'est un échec sportif : "Il était présenté comme une méga star mais il a des stats d'un joueur lambda, c'est insuffisant." #RMClive🔴🔵 La saison de Messi est-elle un échec total ?
🗣💬 Pour Jérôme Rothen et Mathieu Bodmer, c'est un échec sportif : "Il était présenté comme une méga star mais il a des stats d'un joueur lambda, c'est insuffisant." #RMClive https://t.co/gDcMtML2MN
Lionel Messi was expected to do more at PSG
Lionel Messi joined PSG in the summer of 2021 from Barcelona. Despite his high-profile transfer, the 34-year-old forward has failed to live up to his reputation.
As things stand, Messi has scored just nine goals and provided 13 assists in 32 appearances for the Parisian giants across all competitions. However, only four of those goals came in Ligue 1.
Lionel Messi made a bright start in the UEFA Champions League for his new side. The Argentine skipper scored five goals in as many group games. However, he then had a disappointing outing against Real Madrid in the Round of 16. Messi had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the first leg.
That proved costly as PSG exited the Champions League in the Round of 16 following a 3-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi back in Paris and training with PSG. https://t.co/vEcHkZMJlE
However, Lionel Messi has shown some signs of his brilliance on the pitch.
The 34-year-old forward has registered a hat-trick of assists twice in the league. Messi has linked up nicely with fellow forwards Kylian Mbappe and Neymar throughout the season. He also scored a wonderful long-range goal against Lens to secure the Ligue 1 title for PSG.
It is worth mentioning that Lionel Messi has one more year remaining on his PSG contract. The forward also has the option to extend this contract by another year at the end of the 2022-23 season.