Lionel Messi has "changed his game" for Kylian Mbappe following his arrival at Paris last summer, his former Barcelona teammate Ludovic Giuly has explained.
Things have not gone to plan for the Argentine superstar following on from his high-profile summer transfer from the Camp Nou last year. Messi has netted just three goals across 22 domestic appearances for Les Parisiens this campaign and he was unable to prevent PSG’s Champions League Round of 16 exit against Real Madrid – when he saw his first leg penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois. The following Ligue 1 match after that, when PSG clashed with Bordeaux, saw both Messi and his teammate Neymar booed by PSG fans.
Messi landed a record-breaking seventh Ballon d'Or title by scooping the 2021 accolade before ranking second behind Robert Lewandowski in the 2021 FIFA Best Men's Player awards later in the season, but his regression in overall output has been notable and undeniable.
This has all been acknowledged by former PSG winger and France international Giuly, who made 124 appearances for Barcelona in the first three seasons of Messi’s senior career – including helping them to win the 2006 Champions League final.
Giuly explained, as cited by French media : “He (Messi) changed his game because he no longer has the physicality that he did ten years ago. He adapted to Kylian who goes 2000 miles an hour and who is the best player at PSG. It is his intelligence to say to himself: ‘Maybe I won't score 30 goals, but if I make 15 or 20 assists, that's good too.’ Even though I know he would like to be even more decisive.”
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The former France international winger continued, when analysing Messi’s style in Paris: “Leo has played on his inverted side (a left-footer on the right), as a striker, as number 10, it's up to him to find the right position with the coach (Mauricio Pochettino). He didn't lose his football ability overnight. He was also unlucky this season. Kylian does his job. Messi was already a passer in Barcelona, but he is perhaps even more so here.”
Even though PSG are coasting their way to the Ligue 1 title, it has been a difficult season for the club due to the huge underperformance in European competition – as their wait to land a Champions League title goes on. The club have never listed the trophy despite their Qatari-backed investment entering the club over a year ago, and they have yet to better their final outing in the 2019/20 campaign.
