"Messi got his 10000 steps in today", "King of Ghosts" - PSG star Lionel Messi slammed for 'hall of shame' performance in 2-0 loss to Bayern
While many expected Lionel Messi to provide the magic to see Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) through, they were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Bayern Munich.
The forward had an uncharacteristically drab performance, with his presence hardly noted on the pitch as the Parisians struggled to find dominance.
Lionel Messi tried to put his efforts towards goal, but his shots were blocked by the Bavarian defense. He also struggled to get past his opponents, who seemed to have read the Argentine playmaker as he had no space to create any magical moments.
His rather sub-par showing at the Allianz Arena was widely noted by football fans, who took to Twitter to slam him for his poor efforts on the night.
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Bayern Munich triumph over PSG as Lionel Messi falters
On Wednesday (8 March), Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena to knock them out of the Champions League in the round of 16. The victory was secured with a second-half goal from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and a late strike from Serge Gnabry, resulting in a 2-0 win for Julian Nagelsmann's side.
PSG entered the match down 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg without star player Neymar, who was ruled out for the season due to an ankle injury. Both teams had opportunities to score in the first 45 minutes, with Lionel Messi having two close-range shots blocked and Gianluigi Donnarumma making a crucial save.
Matthijs de Ligt's incredible clearance off the goal line just before halftime preserved Bayern's narrow lead as they headed into the break with the second leg tied.
Although Choupo-Moting's early second-half goal was disallowed for offside, he made no mistake in scoring another effort after Marco Verratti was dispossessed in his own area.
Bayern's well-organized and disciplined defense managed to keep Lionel Messi relatively quiet, and Sommer made two crucial saves late in the game to maintain his clean sheet. Substitute Serge Gnabry added insult to injury for PSG, scoring a second goal on a devastating counter-attack.
With this result, Bayern have cemented their position as top contenders for the UCL and sent a message to their opponents in the last eight. Meanwhile, PSG's star-studded team, which includes Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, will have to wait another year for a shot at continental glory.