Lionel Messi got booed by his own Paris Saint-Germain fans following his inability to help the club advance in this season’s UEFA Champions League as the team lost 2-0 at Stade Rennes on Sunday.
Ahead of the game, reports went viral that PSG’s fans would boo Messi for earning so much at the club and still couldn’t help them win the UEFA Champions League this season.
Recall that German champion, Bayern Munich knocked out PSG in the round of 16 after beating the French side home and away with Messi in action.
PSG lost to Rennes at home for the second time in three games, and they didn’t deserve it because they started out stronger than their opponent.
The opposition had the first two shots on goal but failed to put Gianluigi Donnarumma to the test. The away team had a solid start to the game.
After the first ten minutes, PSG began to settle into the game, seeing more of the ball, but not really controlling it. Neither team was able to seize control of the game and come close to scoring the opening goal.
Kylian Mbappe’s runs from deep gave him the first significant opportunity of the day to get in behind Rennes’ defense, but his first attempt was disallowed for offside and his second narrowly missed the target.
Steve Mandanda made another stop for him toward the conclusion of the opening period, but Karl Toko Ekambi soon made up for it right before the break by handling a ball over the top and blasting past Donnarumma.
After that, the reigning Ligue 1 champions’ situation quickly deteriorated when former player Arnaud Kalimuendo converted a square ball from Lesley Ugochukwu to make it 2-0 with 48 minutes remaining.
After then, the game switched to an attack-versus-defense dynamic, with PSG controlling possession but being unable to capitalize on it, despite having the abilities of Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who was squatting deeper and deeper in an effort to spark a play.
The home team played so poorly that it appeared just as probable that the score would end up being 3-0 as 2-1, with the visitors really troubling their opponents on the break.
It held true up until the end of regulation, when Rennes easily defeated Christophe Galtier and company for the second time in a row.
Even though they might win the league once more, it’s clear that things in Paris are far from ideal given that Messi was consistently booed by the crowd and that the entire squad was jeered at the final whistle.
It had been more than 700 days since Messi’s last home league defeat with the Parisians.
He has scored 18 goals in 31 games this season for PSG, but the World Cup winner’s performance against Rennes left supporters unimpressed.
Yet, statistics from Sofascore show that Messi’s performance did not merit the unfavorable reaction he received from the home crowd.
Lionel Messi is expected to quit Paris Saint-Germain, according to multiple reports, because of his post-match theatrics in the team’s defeat to Rennes.
Throughout the second half, PSG supporters booed their players as a means of expressing their rage.
The Kylian Mbappe-led team continued to applaud the crowd after the game to express their gratitude for their support.
Yet when he limped down the tunnel, looking frustrated, Messi did not follow his teammates.
The World Cup winner’s contract in Paris expires at the end of the current campaign, while there is a possibility of an additional year’s extension.
Despite Barcelona’s financial troubles, Messi has been linked with a return to his childhood club.
Juninho defends PSG fans who are booing Messi
There have been conflicting reactions after PSG supporters booed Lionel Messi and company. The latest of such reactions came from Brazilian former footballer and former Olympique Lyon star Juninho who thinks fans have every right to do so.
While speaking with RMC Sport, he stated: “Even if it’s Messi, he’s still a human being. In the minds of the fans, the last game left is that of Bayern. It wouldn’t shock me at all, recalls our consultant in Rothen ignites this Friday . When we play, we are well paid, we do a job that we love very much. In the end, it’s for the fans that we do it.”
“Even if it’s Messi, it’s normal to whistle him, even if there are 35 goals this season. In Ligue 1, they dominate their opponents. What shocked me was the lack of aggression. The fans have every right.”
PSG hasn’t been able to duplicate their local success in Europe. Even the UEFA Champions League’s most successful player, Lionel Messi, hasn’t been able to relieve their suffering.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi, a forward for Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain, was born in Argentina on June 24, 1987. He also serves as team captain for his country.
Messi, who is recognized as one of the all-time best players, has a record seven Ballon d’Or victories, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020, he was selected for the Ballon d’Or Dream Team.
Messi’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 surprised the football world, and after a lackluster debut year, he has failed to post any noteworthy stats in his second season.
Following his highly publicized summer transfer from Barcelona, Lionel Messi has had difficulty finding his best form for Paris Saint-Germain and has struggled massively.
Yet it’s debatable if booing players is the best course of action going forward.
What do you think about PSG Fans Booing Messi? Right or Wrong?
