It was a year of changes for Lionel Messi. Moving to a different country, playing for a new team, facing new rivals, and speaking a new language. It can’t be easy for anyone to get used to that. In addition, PSGfans did not help the Argentine. After the French team’s elimination from the Champions League, it became common for PSG fans to boo Messi.
The sports daily L’Equipe, which has harshly criticized Messi on several occasions, took stock of the 2021-2022 season for the captain of the Argentina national team. In the article, they indicate that Messi had a more complicated first season than expected and that his influence on the team’s play has been intermittent. In addition, they state that he displayed a less explosive and less fast facet of his game.
Messi played 33 games in the entire season between Ligue 1, Champions League, and French Cup. He scored 11 goals and provided 13 assists. In addition, he has missed fourteen games this season, due to injuries, travels with the Argentine national team, Coronavirus, and flu. Low numbers based on his stats. Messi already has his mind set on next season and, by the looks of it, he also has some requirements.
Messi’s target for next season and the change he is demanding from PSG
Messi knows that his soccer career is coming to an end. At 34 years of age, the Argentinean is still a key player, but, understandably, his level has dropped. According to L’Équipe, Messi will stay at PSG next season and his main objective is to win the 2022- 2023 Champions League.
The French newspaper said that the former Barcelonaplayer is pending what will happen with Kylian Mbappe, but what concerns him the most is knowing who will be the new PSG coach next season. Mauricio Pochettino is still under contract with the French team until 2023, however, club officials are believed to have decided that he will leave at the end of the season, and the Argentine manager will receive a €15 million compensation.
As reported by L’Équipe, Messi has had no problems with Pochettino, although his relationship with the coach has not been outstanding either. Messi intends to have an elite coach. PSG have top-level players and perhaps what the squad lacks is a coach who knows how to command them. French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet admitted he would not be surprised to see Zinedine Zidane take up the PSG job in the near future.