Paris Saint-Germain’s terrible season took a turn for the worse on Sunday, as the squad suffered a second consecutive home loss, 1-0 to Lyon.
Several PSG fans jeered when Lionel Messi’s name flashed on the big screen during the announcement of the starting lineup, even before the game had begun.
When Alexadre Lacazette missed a penalty in the first half, Bradley Barcola’s goal 10 minutes into the second half was enough to give Lyon all three points on a night when PSG rarely threatened the away goal.
As a result of Lens’ 1-0 victory over Rennes and Marseille’s 1-1 draw with Montepellier, both teams are currently only six points behind PSG at the top of Ligue 1, and the team’s grip on the domestic title may be slipping.
Messi got devotion and worship during his recent return to Argentina for friendlies against Panama and Curacao as the country continued its World Cup festivities.
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Messi’s presence at Parc des Princes was meant to be the missing piece that would help PSG win the Champions League, a trophy that the club’s Qatari owners covet.
The only big trophy the squad has won since Messi’s arrival was Ligue 1 last season, a championship PSG would have certainly won even without him.
Messi has contributed to 34 goals in all competitions for PSG this season, second only to Mbappé’s 38, but head coach Christophe Galtier refused to place the burden for the team’s shortcomings on the Argentine.
“I found it difficult to listen to [the jeers],” Galtier told reporters, via the Athletic. “It is possible that Messi and Mbappe will be expected to resolve difficult situations. Messi tries very hard, but not everything works out; however, the other players must also do their jobs.”
Next week will be a pivotal one for PSG, as Galtier’s squad goes to an unbeaten Nice team before hosting Lens at the Parc des Princes.
PSG has lost two of its last three matches since being eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich last month, and only escaped relegation-threatened Brest thanks to a late goal from Kylian Mbappé.
After his team’s triumph, Lyon head coach Laurent Blanc stated that PSG’s performances had been negatively impacted by the Champions League or bust mindset.
