No Neymar, no problem as Messi and Mbappe partnership flourishes in Club Brugge thrashing
Mauricio Pochettino has been under pressure in recent weeks due to Paris Saint Germain’s faltering form and the team’s general lack of purpose.
The Ligue 1 giants were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City in late November, ending their hopes of finishing at the top of their UEFA Champions League group.
Despite defeating Saint-Etienne on the road in the league, the Parisians failed to win successive matches against Nice and Lens. One win in four games was therefore enough to put Pochettino under pressure going into Tuesday’s European game against Club Brugge.
However, PSG put their poor form behind them and delivered a scintillating attacking performance which ended with an emphatic 4-1 victory against the Belgian side.
FULL-TIME: @PSG_English 4-1 Club Brugge
A double from @KMbappe + Messi means we end the @ChampionsLeague group stage in fine style!
#PSGCLU
🔴🔵 #ICICESTPARIS https://t.co/ozo5ER03g0
No Neymar, no problem
PSG’s front three has been talked about as the team’s main strength and Neymar’s injury-enforced absence led to talks of a drop in performance.
While the Parisians struggled in front of goal against Nice and Lens, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria rose to the occasion on Tuesday evening.
The performance of the aforementioned trio ensured that PSG did not miss Neymar at all. The Brazilian brings a lot to the team but his teammates had no problem dispatching off Club Brugge without him.
Both Mbappe and Messi scored twice, while Di Maria also provided an assist as Pochettino’s side ran out as winners.
A double tonight for Leo Messi! ⚽️⚽️
#PSGCLU https://t.co/XKy4qf0vlU
Messi, Mbappe shine in Club Brugge win
A story carried by ESPN on Monday had the headline: "PSG under Mauricio Pochettino are a team of individuals, not a side that's playing like champions."
However, Mbappe and Messi rewrote the scripts against Club Brugge. The pair had great telepathy on the pitch and their understanding was near perfect.
Together, they offered more than just the goals they scored and brought balance to the team with his positional awareness.
"It’s easy to play with Lionel Messi. He’s the best player in the world," Mbappe said after the game, as quoted by Football Espana.
"He won the Ballon d’Or a few days ago. He scored two goals today, he is happy, and I hope he will help us in the future."
PSG have a great team but the lack of balance has cost them in Europe in recent years. Should Pochettino manage to get that right, maybe this team can finally go all the way in the Champions League.