![]() He left for Barca just one year later to form a formidable partnership with Messi down the right flank-but he completely outshone the Argentinian on this occasion, as his team did to Barca overall. ![]() The man of the match on the night was Dani Alves, still a Sevilla player at this point but not for long. Messi was a regular starter by this point, one-third of the famous front line that also included Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o, but they were outshone by Frederic Kanoute and Co. Yusuf Yazici and Jonathan David scored as Lille beat Montpellier 2-1, and Sofiane Diop grabbed both goals as Monaco bounced back with a 2-1 win at Troyes.Īngers remains unbeaten and has 10 points after beating Rennes 2-0 at home.Īlso, it was: Lens 2, Lorient 2 Strasbourg 3, Brest 1 Clermont 2, Metz 2.Their Spanish rivals, who won the previous season's UEFA Cup with a 4-0 over Middlesbrough in the final, ran out 3-0 winners against Barca in Monaco. “No, I wasn't surprised by his enthusiasm,” said Pochettino, who did not comment on Mbappe's immediate future.įor it remains to be seen whether it's his last for PSG, which has started the season with four straight wins and has 12 points.įrench champion Lille and Monaco finally won their first games of the season. He headed in Angel Di Maria's cross in the 15th minute and then turned in Achraf Hakimi's cross in the 63rd for his 135th goal since joining PSG in 2017. Mbappe had already scored both goals before Messi came on. Striker Kylian Mbappe was named in the starting lineup as Real Madrid tries to sign him before the end of the summer transfer window. The 34-year-old Messi, who led his nation to the Copa America title last month, joined PSG three weeks ago after his new contract with Barcelona fell through. That was the last time Messi won Europe's elite trophy and, somewhat ironically, his last goal for Barca in the Champions League was a brilliant strike away to PSG last season in the round of 16. He netted 672 goals for Barca and won 35 trophies for the Spanish giant, including the 2015 Champions League alongside Neymar. ![]() Messi's incredible skill, close control, grace, vision, dancing feet, astute passing, speed of thought and execution have thrilled fans for years. ![]() They wanted to see one of the all-time greats, along with Pele and the late Diego Maradona, who Messi adored. His presence generates more enthusiasm, everyone can feel it and it has an effect on the other players."īefore the match, hundreds of fans gathered for a glimpse of Messi as he descended the team bus and he waved back at them. “The welcome he got was something beautiful to see and hear, on the part of our fans but also the Reims fans,” Pochettino said. PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was touched by the reception for Messi, pointing out that supporters of both teams were delighted to see him play. Such is Messi's star factor that the home fans chanted “Messi, Messi” while a smiling Reims goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic took a photo of Messi holding a child after the game. Messi replaced his friend and former Barcelona teammate Neymar in the 66th minute and they shared a hug.Īfter years of glory for Messi at the 99,000-capacity Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, the record six-time Ballon d'Or winner and four-time Champions League victor made his first PSG appearance at the modest 20,000-seater Stade Auguste Delaune. Messi made his debut for PSG on Sunday after coming off the bench midway through the second half in a 2-0 win at Reims in the French league. The Lionel Messi era has begun at Paris Saint-Germain, without a goal for the Argentine superstar but plenty of adulation and fanfare.
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