Football – Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid, the level of PSG, Sergio Ramos and FC Barcelona: Lionel Messi delivers

“Everyone says we are the big favorites in the Champions League, but we still need to improve”

The pressure is already great on the shoulders of Paris Saint-Germain, which has still not succeeded in doing better than touching with the fingertips the hope of a coronation in the Champions League. And Messi does not seem to want to add more. Beaten in the final by Bayern Munich in 2020 (0-1) and then in the semi-finals last year against Manchester City (1-2, 0-2), the Parisians know they are on the right track. And this summer, Qatari leaders gave themselves the means to fulfill their dream by offering themselves the services of Argentine genius and Gianluigi Donnarumma, named best goalkeeper of the Euro, in addition to Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Georginio Wijnaldum in an effort to strengthen defensively and in midfield.

But for the moment, Mauricio Pochettino is struggling to find an identity for all these little people. Much criticized even if his workforce rolls in Ligue 1 (1st with 11 points ahead of Nice), the Argentinian tactician struggles to make his collective of stars shine. If they beat Manchester City in the group stage (2-0), PSG were dominated, as against Leipzig (3-2) and Bruges (1-1). In order not to experience a new disillusion, the Parisian club will have to build, and quickly, a real collective force. At the risk of quickly becoming disillusioned. And that, Lionel Messi seems to have understood.

“For the moment, Mbappé has 100% head on our objectives”

On the sidelines of his arrival in Paris which should have attracted all the attention of the media, Lionel Messi lived what almost was a cataclysm for his new club: the loss of Kylian Mbappé, who took to dreaming of Real Madrid . If this was not finally done despite various offers from the Madrid team, the young world champion has still not extended his contract with PSG, which will end at the end of the season. And inevitably, without Kylian Mbappé, the Parisian attack would definitely not be the same. Messi could not help but continue on the subject: “Only he knows what is on his mind and what he will do next season. He is a very important player for the club’s goals. The truth is, I don’t know what’s going to happen. History to put a little pressure on his young teammate?

“Being Sergio Ramos’ teammate is a daily spectacle”

The duo that all football fans dream of seeing evolve together on a lawn: Messi and Ramos. The two former captains of Barcelona and Real Madrid have been reunited since this summer under the same banner. But if the first begins to take its marks, the second still has not had the slightest minute with the jersey of Paris Saint-Germain on the shoulders. Blame it on a string of muscle glitches, especially in the calf, which kept him away from the field for the first 23 matches of the season, in all competitions.

What if the time is right? For the first time since the start of the season, Sergio Ramos is part of the scoresheet which will travel to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Finally operational, he will obviously not start the meeting but could make his big debut against a prestigious opponent. Much to the delight of Lionel Messi, who did not hesitate to say of him that he was “a great person and a fundamental footballer in the quest for the goals of PSG this season”.

“Xavi is going to make Barcelona grow, he knows the house inside out”

Former teammates and friends off the pitch, Xavi and Lionel Messi have won everything at FC Barcelona. La Pulga said all the respect and good things he thought of the Catalan’s appointment to the Blaugrana bench. “Xavi gave the fans hope”, “with him the team will grow a lot”, “he will do perfectly”. For Messi, there is no doubt: Barca have left to be big, even if it will take a little while.

All the more so since the return of Dani Alves, “which will be very important to rebuild this young team”. Obviously, Lionel Messi will always keep a close eye on FC Barcelona, ​​which is going through a very complicated first part of the season with a disappointing 7th place in La Liga and a potential elimination from the upcoming C1 group stage. And if that were to last, he even offered some hope to the Blaugranas, saying he “would love to come back to help help the club”. The announcement of a future career in the governing bodies of Barça, to close the loop?