Former Barcelona striker his official debut for Paris Saint-Germain after a two-week-long wait during their win over Reims. The Argentine attacker was later asked to click a picture with Reims goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic’s son, which he obliged.
The 34-year-old was handed a 24-minute cameo appearance by head coach Mauricio Pochettino. While Messi took to the pitch amid huge cheers from the audience, he didn’t have a telling impact on the game. The Parisians, by that point, were already two-nil up thanks to a Kylian Mbappe brace and cruising.
Messi touched the ball 26 times in the 24 minutes, often coming deep to receive it from his teammates. He also combined well with Mbappe on several occasions, and nearly played him through on goal once after collecting the ball deep. Overall, the Argentina international attempted 21 passes and misplaced just one.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner also showcased his ball-carrying ability to the crowd as he attempted his usual mazy runs – taking defenders head-on and leaving them in his wake. He attempted five ground duels, won four, and was fouled three times.
An Mbappe brace before Messi’s introduction meant that PSG could sit back and let the attacker charm the crowd with his world-class abilities. Mbappe, who himself has been linked strongly with Real Madrid in recent days, was a surprise pick for the game, but he justified his selection by scoring in the 16th and the 63rd minute.
Moreover, his sweet exchanges with Messi during the latter stages of the game were a joy to watch, and are something to look forward to over the course of the season, provided the Frenchman decides to stay in Paris.
After the match, Reims’ goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic approached Messi to click a picture with his son, a request which the former Barcelona man obliged, proving that his fanfare goes beyond those sitting in the crowd.
