Fans turn on Messi as PSG's season hits new low
A dismal home defeat to Lyon has left Paris Saint-Germain reeling, and the usually revered Lionel Messi is facing a backlash from some of his own supporters. On Sunday, the Argentine superstar was subjected to a chorus of whistles as his name appeared on the big screen during the pre-game lineup announcement.
PSG's misery had been building all season, but this latest loss was a bitter pill to swallow. The team's struggles are no secret - they've lost two straight home games and their Champions League campaign has already come to an end. The usually clinical Lionel Messi looked out of touch at times, with his name being whistled by fans in the stands.
The defeat was made all the more galling given the context. PSG had been expected to be a force in Ligue 1 this season, but their recent performances have left them six points adrift of leaders Lens and Marseille. The pressure is mounting on coach Christophe Galtier to turn things around, with next week's match against Nice a make-or-break point.
Galtier refused to place the blame for PSG's woes squarely at Messi's feet, however. "I found it hard to listen to [the jeering]," he said in a press conference. "There may be expectations for Messi and Mbappe to unlock difficult situations... but around him, the other players also need to do their jobs."
It's clear that the team is struggling to gel without some key personnel, with both Neymar and Mauro Icardi missing from the starting lineup on Sunday. The only goal PSG managed came 10 minutes into the second half, courtesy of Bradley Barcola, but it was too little, too late.
PSG's struggles are a far cry from the adoration Messi receives in Argentina, where he was hailed as a hero for his recent friendlies against Panama and Curaçao. The Qatari owners of PSG had pinned their hopes on the legendary midfielder being the missing piece that would help the team finally win the Champions League.
Instead, it seems that the pressure is mounting on Galtier to turn things around before it's too late. With a season-defining week ahead, PSG will have to do more than just hope for Messi to inspire them back to form - they'll need to prove themselves capable of competing with the best teams in Europe.
The writing is on the wall for PSG - their Ligue 1 title hopes are dwindling by the day. Can they salvage something from this season, or will the pressure become too much to bear? Only time will tell.
A dismal home defeat to Lyon has left Paris Saint-Germain reeling, and the usually revered Lionel Messi is facing a backlash from some of his own supporters. On Sunday, the Argentine superstar was subjected to a chorus of whistles as his name appeared on the big screen during the pre-game lineup announcement.
PSG's misery had been building all season, but this latest loss was a bitter pill to swallow. The team's struggles are no secret - they've lost two straight home games and their Champions League campaign has already come to an end. The usually clinical Lionel Messi looked out of touch at times, with his name being whistled by fans in the stands.
The defeat was made all the more galling given the context. PSG had been expected to be a force in Ligue 1 this season, but their recent performances have left them six points adrift of leaders Lens and Marseille. The pressure is mounting on coach Christophe Galtier to turn things around, with next week's match against Nice a make-or-break point.
Galtier refused to place the blame for PSG's woes squarely at Messi's feet, however. "I found it hard to listen to [the jeering]," he said in a press conference. "There may be expectations for Messi and Mbappe to unlock difficult situations... but around him, the other players also need to do their jobs."
It's clear that the team is struggling to gel without some key personnel, with both Neymar and Mauro Icardi missing from the starting lineup on Sunday. The only goal PSG managed came 10 minutes into the second half, courtesy of Bradley Barcola, but it was too little, too late.
PSG's struggles are a far cry from the adoration Messi receives in Argentina, where he was hailed as a hero for his recent friendlies against Panama and Curaçao. The Qatari owners of PSG had pinned their hopes on the legendary midfielder being the missing piece that would help the team finally win the Champions League.
Instead, it seems that the pressure is mounting on Galtier to turn things around before it's too late. With a season-defining week ahead, PSG will have to do more than just hope for Messi to inspire them back to form - they'll need to prove themselves capable of competing with the best teams in Europe.
The writing is on the wall for PSG - their Ligue 1 title hopes are dwindling by the day. Can they salvage something from this season, or will the pressure become too much to bear? Only time will tell.
I feel bad for Messi and PSG right now... all that hype around him coming back to earth is tough to watch 
. The pressure's on Galtier to turn things around, but it's not just about one player - the team needs to come together if they wanna make a push in Ligue 1 
. Losing two straight home games is a big concern 
. I mean, Messi's still an incredible talent, but he can't do it all alone 
. The other players need to step up their game too! 
. psg needs to work out some issues with their team build up, not just rely on messi to score all the goals. the whistling was harsh 
. galtier shouldve taken more responsibility for the losses btw
. six points behind in ligue 1 and they're already out of the champions league? 
that's a tough pill to swallow. but at the same time, can't say i'm surprised... the other players gotta step up their game if messi's not gonna do it for them 
. galtier's right, the pressure's on him to turn things around before it's too late 
. might be time for psg to rethink their strategy and stop relying so heavily on that one superstar player... just saying 
i was flying over paris and saw all these eiffel towers just floating in mid air 
️ it was so trippy! anyway back to psg... i dont think its fair to say they're struggling because of messi though. he's still an amazing player and all that stuff 
but at the same time, the whole team is kinda meh right now. idk man, maybe they just need a fresh start or something? 
he's still a genious on the field even tho PSG is losin big time 
It's crazy how quickly things can go south for a team as big as PSG, right? I mean, you're expecting them to be a force in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, but instead they're getting thrashed at home. And now people are turning on Messi 
Either way, PSG has some big matches coming up and they'll need to prove themselves if they want to salvage anything from this season 
. And Galtier saying that around Messi, the other players just need to do their jobs? Yeah, no kidding, coach 
.
But what really gets me is how the pressure on Galtier to turn things around is building up so fast 
. I'm keeping an eye on their next match against Nice, hoping they can pull something out of the bag 
.
. PSG's problems run deeper than just one player, they need to sort out their squad and get everyone working together again. I'm not saying Messi isn't a great player, but he can't do everything himself