"He's much better with a lot of desire"- PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes makes reassuring Lionel Messi claim ahead of Ligue 1 showdown with Monaco
It has been a few months since Lionel Messi’s blockbuster move to PSG was completed. The 34-year-old struggled to adjust to life in the French capital in the early days.
In a recent interview with ESPN Argentina, Messi’s teammate, Leandro Paredes, commented on how Lionel Messi was adapting to life in Paris:
“We get along very well with Messi. Di María, Messi and I get together with the families. We are going to look for the kids at school together too."
“I see Leo much better; the first months are difficult, the change is complicated, today I see him better, with a lot of desire, I hope he continues like this. I think Messi needs to be in constant contact with the ball, be it with touches normal or changes of rhythm. If he feels in game, for us, everything is much easier.”
There have been encouraging signs to show that Messi may be finding his feet in Paris. His sparkling performance against Club Brugge this past week in the Champions League was a definite marker of the player getting back to his best.
GOOOOAL! LEO MESSI! 2-0!!!!
YES, YES, YES!!!!
#PSGMCI | #UCL https://t.co/X4wNthwqDf
Lionel Messi has moved clubs for the first time in his professional career. Hence it is normal to assume that it will take him some time to adjust in a new environment.
Messi has contributed six goals and three assists in 14 games for PSG all season and will be hoping to contribute more now that he is more settled at the club.
I think he has adapted quickly: PSG teammate Angel di Maria on Lionel Messi
Fellow club and country teammate Angel di Maria has shared more information about how PSG players have helped Lionel Messi adapt better to life in Paris.
Leo Messi's first goal for @PSG_English and look how much it means to the whole squad ❤️💙 https://t.co/DfLOt6M2p7
The star noted that the improvements will take some time:
"We see him happy at home with his family. His children are at school. Everyone is there to make life easier for him and that is how he has adapted very well to the group and, I think, he adapted very quickly to [life in] Paris.
"But when it comes to football, everything is being done little by little. It is a huge change for him and he has to adapt to new players and a new way of playing at a PSG, who play fast in attack while Barcelona are used to having possession. We try to balance all of that a bit and he also makes sure he adapts to us and vice versa."