Is Lionel Messi playing for PSG against Brest today?
Lionel Messi could start when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) travel to take on Stade Brestois in Ligue 1 on Saturday (March 11).
The Parisian giants will want to return to winning ways after their 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
The Argentine ace was part of the team which suffered a defeat against Bayern Munich in Germany on March 8. As a result, the Parisian outfit have been knocked out of the Champions League and will be focusing on the league now.
Christophe Galtier's side have just had two days to prepare but could still name a full-strength team against Brest. The former Barcelona man should therefore keep his place in the starting XI and partner Kylian Mbappe in attack. Neymar Jr, meanwhile, continues to remain out of contention after having picked up an ankle injury.
The PSG squad for their away game against Brest can be seen below:
PSG’s squad against Brest:
Pembélé, Bitshiabu, Warren Zaïre-Emery & Ismaël Gharbi are in the squad. 💎✅
No Neymar, Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Mukiele & Hakimi! ❌ https://t.co/wBoYylikUa
PSG played Nantes in their previous Ligue 1 game and registered a 4-2 victory. Messi was one of the Parisian giants' goalscorers on that occasion.
As things stand, Paris Saint-Germain are at the top of the Ligue 1 charts, having amassed 63 points from 26 games. They are currently eight points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille.
Brest, on the other hand, are languishing in 15th place on the table. They have picked up 23 points from 26 games and are currently just one point clear of the relegation zone.
How did Lionel Messi perform for PSG against Brest earlier this season?
Messi was part of the PSG team which registered a narrow 1-0 win over Brest earlier this season. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner assisted his fellow strike partner Neymar for the solitary goal of the game.
It is worth pointing out that due to fitness issues and quarantine, he did not play against Brest during the 2021-22 season.
Training ahead of #SB29PSG. 📸 https://t.co/PybShxCLFR
The Argentine has been in some excellent form for PSG during the 2022-23 season. The former FC Barcelona forward has contributed 18 goals and 16 assists from 30 outings across all competitions. This includes a tally of 13 goals and 12 assists from 21 matches in Ligue 1.
Messi is on course to secure his second consecutive Ligue 1 title. The World Cup-winning forward, however, still has uncertainty over his future in the French capital. He currently has less than six months remaining on his contract with the Parisian giants with talks seemingly going nowhere at the moment.