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Former PSG forward Jerome Rothen believes Lionel Messi, who joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer, is still a 'Barcelona boy'.
After 17 successful seasons at Barcelona, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has failed to make any significant impact for the Parisienne club. He has scored just two goals in 14 Ligue 1 games and has scored only seven times in 20 appearances across competitions this season.
Considering the same, Rothen believes the Argentine is still a Barcelona player at heart after spending a major part of his career there. Speaking to Marca, Rothen said:
"Messi will not leave a mark at Paris Saint-Germain. He is the boy of another club, Barcelona, which is his life, and so is the city. Messi goes to Barcelona when there are days off. He is passing through; nobody expected him at PSG, not even himself to be here in Paris."
Rothen added:
"He has signed two years at 34, and is undoubtedly the best player in history, but he does not have the legs of before; he cannot repeat the efforts like he has previously done."
Rothen also spoke about the Argentine having problems adapting to a new club and new teammates, saying:
"Besides, above all, he doesn't have the same team or the same teammates of whom he spent so many years with in Catalonia. You have to feel good at a club, and now at PSG, there are many problems in terms (of) adapting to his current teammates."
"I don't think he will make a mark like Ibrahimovic" - Jerome Rothen on Lionel Messi's impact at PSG
Jerome Rothen also said that Lionel Messi may not leave an impact at PSG like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and others did. Rothen elaborated in this regard:
"I don't think he will make a mark like Ibrahimovic did in the past. Although the history of PSG is shorter, so you never know. There have been great players like Rai (Rai Souza Vieira de Oliveira) and Luis Fernandez over the years, and right now you can't put Messi in the same bracket as those."
Ibrahimovic spent four years at the club, scoring a staggering 156 goals in just 180 appearances across competitions.
There have been many instances of the best of players going to a new league and struggling to hit the ground running. However, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's performances for the Parisienne club so far have accentuated that fact even more.
The Ligue 1 giants will, however, hope that Lionel Messi gets back into form soon. After a slow start to the season and being sidelined with COVID-19, Messi has shown glimpses of his quality of late. The Argentinian has three goals and seven assists in last seven games for PSG.
The Parisians will take on Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash on Tuesday. Messi has five goals in the Champions League for PSG this season and the Paris club will be hoping he finds the net against his old rivals.
