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Lionel Messi is expected to start when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) travel to face Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Messi has been performing quite well in recent Ligue 1 outings. The 34-year-old forward has contributed a goal and three assists in his last three league outings for PSG.
The Argentine forward will now look to add to his tally when he features against Nantes on Saturday. He is expected to partner Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in attack. The Brazilian forward recently returned from injury and came off the bench against Real Madrid to make his first appearance since November.
Messi, however, will be looking to have a better outing for the Parisian giants following the disappointment against Real Madrid. Messi missed a penalty in Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 win against Los Blancos in the Champions League.
Despite his miss, manager Mauricio Pochettino has defended the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner in his most recent press conference. Pochettino said:
"He is the best player in the world. He represents football. Missing a penalty won't affect his football. He played a very good game against Madrid. He found good positions on the pitch. Messi is football."
It is worth mentioning that Lionel Messi had a great outing the last time he faced Nantes in Ligue 1. The 34-year-old forward scored his first league goal for his new team against Nantes in a 3-1 win. Messi also provided an assist on that occasion.
PSG are currently comfortably leading the Ligue 1 charts. Mauricio Pochettino's side have amassed 59 points from 24 matches and are 13 points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille.
Nantes, on the other hand, are 10th in the table, having picked up 35 points in 24 matches. They picked up a crucial 1-0 win over Reims last time around. They have even qualified for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France.
How has Lionel Messi performed in his first season for PSG?
Lionel Messi joined PSG from Barcelona in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer. The 34-year-old forward has so far found it tough to get used to his surroundings in the French capital.
As things stand, Lionel Messi has scored seven goals and provided eight assists in 21 matches across all competitions. However, only two of those goals have come in the league.
It is worth mentioning that despite his lack of goals, Lionel Messi is still PSG's second highest goalscorer this season. The 34-year-old forward is only trailing Mbappe who has scored 22 goals.
