"Will his 10 days with Argentina make it better?" - Jerome Rothen says Lionel Messi should leave PSG for 'everyone's benefit'
Former France international Jerome Rothen believes Lionel Messi should leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of the season after a poor campaign in France. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has not had a season to remember in Paris and was recently jeered by his own fans at the Parc des Princes.
Messi is currently away on international duty with Argentina. However, a change in the atmosphere is not going to do Messi any good, according to Rothen. The 43-year-old said the following to RMC (via Football.fr) in regards to Messi's future in Ligue 1:
"Will his 10 days with Argentina make the rest of the season better with PSG? I'm skeptical. His love story with PSG wasn't meant to be. For everyone's benefit, I think he should leave in June. This is my opinion."
This is not the first time Jerome Rothen has been critical of Lionel Messi's performance in a PSG shirt. The former PSG winger said (via PSGTalk) the following after the Parisian giants were dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid:
“I’m ashamed to talk about Messi like that, but it’s the reality! Yesterday he walked on the pitch. He made efforts from 10 meters! Modric put it in his pocket!”
🗣️ Former Paris Saint-Germain winger Jerome Rothen:
"I’m ashamed to talk about Messi like that, but it’s the reality! Yesterday he walked on the pitch. He made efforts from 10 meters! Modric put it in his pocket!"
#PSG #LeoMessi #Modric #ChampionsLeague https://t.co/nuQRywXdHd
Following his poor showing against Real Madrid in the Champions League, rumors of him leaving are gathering momentum. Lionel Messi even had a penalty saved in the first leg by Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. It hampered the Parisians' chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals.
According to a report from Forbes, Messi is keen to return to Barcelona in the upcoming summer transfer window. However, it is worth mentioning that the Argentine skipper has a contract with the club until the end of the 2022-23 season.
Lionel Messi has struggled to showcase his true potential whilst at PSG
Lionel Messi has had a massive dip in form since his free transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021. The 34-year-old forward has scored seven times and provided 11 assists in 26 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino's side. However, only two of those goals have come in Ligue 1 so far.
Jordi Alba: "I want to play with Messi again. But not at PSG. Here... at Barça. I hope he comes back. It's normal that he struggles elsewhere after a lifetime at Barça." https://t.co/REYGOtLpKP
Despite his recent struggles, Lionel Messi is still the club's second-highest goalscorer and assist provider this season. The forward is trailing only Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 26 goals and provided 17 assists in 37 outings across all competitions this term.