Is Lionel Messi playing for PSG against Montpellier tonight?
Lionel Messi is expected to start when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) take on Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Saturday (August 13). The Parisian giants will want to continue their winning start to the season in their first home game of the campaign.
Christophe Galtier's side secured a convincing 5-0 away win against Clermont Foot in their season opener last weekend. Lionel Messi scored a brace, including a sumptuous overhead kick. Neymar, Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi were the other goalscorers on the night.
After a scintillating start to his new league campaign, Messi is expected to start against Montpellier and continue his sparkling form. PSG will also see the return of Kylian Mbappe after the Frenchman missed the first game due to an adductor injury.
Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are expected to start together for the first time this season. The Argentine forward could play in the number 10 role behind Neymar and Mbappe. Notably, Pablo Sarabia started the game against Clermont Foot in Mbappe's place.
PSG manager Christophe Galtier is excited by the prospect of seeing Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe play together once again. Speaking ahead of the Montpellier game, Galtier said (via the club's official website):
"I've worked a lot on combinations this week. I've also looked at what they did last season in various set-ups. Mbappe, Neymar and Messi are used to playing with each other."
He added:
"Ney and Leo, who have had a full pre-season and played both competitive games, are a bit more in the groove, but I think Kylian will soon be too. I'm not worried at all about their understanding on the pitch. They know each other well, and it's a good thing to be able to see them together."
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Montpellier are coming off a 3-2 win over Troyes. Teji Tedy Savanier netted an 81st-minute winner, his second on the night, to secure all three points for the 2012 Ligue 1 winners.
How did Lionel Messi perform when PSG faced Montpellier last season?
From the two league games against Montpellier last season, Lionel Messi played only one of them. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the first one in September due to injury.
Messi, however, had one of his best performances in a PSG shirt in the reverse fixture against Montpellier. He netted a brace in the Parisians' 4-0 win in their penultimate game of the season.
Lionel Messi's last 6 games for club and country π
5-0 vs Clermont β½οΈβ½οΈπ °οΈ
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3-0 vs Italy π °οΈπ °οΈ
5-0 vs Metz π °οΈ
4-0 vs Montpellier β½οΈβ½οΈ https://t.co/JXhBIcV32H
Lionel Messi only managed one brace in Ligue 1 last season, ending his first season with the Parisians with 11 goals and 15 assists in 34 appearances across competitions.