How PSG fans reacted to Lionel Messi in Strasbourg draw
A lot would have had to go wrong in the final two gameweeks of the season for Paris Saint-Germain not to win Ligue 1, but the race is finally over as the French giants claimed an 11th league title on Saturday night.
The rather toxic backdrop at Parc des Princes will be put aside in the short term after Lionel Messi's strike earned PSG a 1-1 draw at Strasbourg, taking a four-point lead over nearest competitors Lens before the final match of the season.
It could be the Argentine legend's final goal for the Paris giants. His otherworldly talent has never quite synchronised with the rest of PSG's team and a return to former club Barcelona is expected this summer.
Messi has attracted jeers and criticism from the club's fanbase. The Paris crowd is notoriously tough and also hasn't been impressed by the World Cup winner's flirting with former club Barca, while MLS and Saudi Arabian sides have also been courting his services.
A saga involving an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia which saw Messi suspended and quickly unsuspended following an apology has also seen more fans turn their back on the 35-year-old.
"RW: Lionel Messi - 8/10 - The boos will dominate but Messi largely did his thing, creating chances with some incisive passing and dribbling."
-ย 90min player ratings
He was booed in the 5-0 home victory over Ajaccio, which prompted club stalwart Marquinhos to jump to his teammate's defence and urge supporters not to repeat those antics in their next game at Auxerre.
"I always respect protests when they are peaceful, at the times and places where it is necessary," he toldย L'Equipe.
"Above all, I ask the supporters not to target one player or another. It must always be collective. A player doesn't walk on his own, he's not going to do anything on his own."
"AM: Lionel Messi - 6/10 - Grabbed an assist for Mbappe's second but looked a bit lonely out there. Didn't help himself with a rather passive display otherwise."
-ย 90min player ratings
It was Messi's first game after that suspension fiasco and he received jeers from the crowd, having been left out of the squad that had previously beaten Troyes 3-1. He struggled to make an impact in that game, but did grab an assist as Kylian Mbappe's double secured victory.
Messi's goal and assist output has been down in 2023 after the World Cup. He's scored nine Ligue 1 goals so far this year and couldn't produce any magic when PSG where dumped out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich 3-0 on aggregate.
There weren't too many jeers for Messi during PSG's muted celebrations at Strasbourg. His goal just before the hour mark put his side in a dominant position to secure the title, even with Kevin Gameiro's equaliser.
He also produced a wonderful dribble to set Mbappe up, but the France captain contrived to miss from a few years out.
๐๐ฅโจ #๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ pic.twitter.com/mdh4Q9Gws3
โ Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 27, 2023
"CF: Lionel Messi - 9/10 - Picked apart Strasbourg at will. Now the all-time record scorer in Europe's top five leagues and he overtook Cristiano Ronaldo in style."
-ย 90min player ratings
PSG's final game of the season is at home to Clermont Foot. The team will lift the Ligue 1 trophy in front of their supporters, who will have one final chance to tell Messi how they feel at Parc des Princes before he jets off, most likely back to Barca.
He's not the first PSG star to be treated with contempt by supporters - Neymar, George Weah and Ronaldinho have all suffered the same fate in the past - and he definitely won't be the last.
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