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PSG and Lionel Messi have not had the best start to their relationship. After spending 17 years at Barcelona, Messi joined the Ligue 1 giants last summer.
However, Lionel Messi is yet to hit his best form at PSG.
Messi has been great for PSG in the Champions League, and he has enjoyed a good scoring form in Europe. However, the story has been quite different for him at Ligue 1 where Messi has managed just two league goals so far.
While his assists have gone up, there's a high chance that the next five names could end up with more Ligue 1 goals than the Argentine.
#5 Danilo Pereira
Danilo Pereira joined PSG from FC Porto after being coveted by many clubs. However, joining PSG and shining for them are two different stories and that is where the Portuguese footballer has shone this season.
He has been in brilliant form of late and is a regular starter for Mauricio Pochettino's men. The likes of Idrissa Gueye and Ander Herrera have provided some competition but Pereira's scoring streak has put him ahead in the pecking order.
He has registered five Ligue 1 goals already. Although Messi might be able to chase down the three-goal lead, for now Pereira is ahead.
Moreover, PSG have raced ahead in the Ligue 1 title chase. They are now seeking to make a deep run in the Champions League as well.
It means Messi is likely to be rested for some domestic matches so he can be fresh in Europe.
#4 Mauro Icardi
Maurco Icardi joined PSG from Inter Milan with a big reputation. However, life at PSG has not been good for him. Problems on and off the pitch has hampered his career.
With Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the club, it is unlikely he will regularly start ahead of any of them in Paris. Icardi did get some regular chances in the early stages of the season due to rotation and injury issues.
Icardi has four league goals to Lionel Messi's two, and it seems likely that the latter will overtake the former soon enough.
#3 Angel Di Maria
Di Maria and Lionel Messi have been teammates for their national side for quite a while now. However, at club level they have always played on opposite sides - until this season that is.
When Di Maria renewed his contract last summer, Little did he realize that he would be playing with his national team captain in Paris. Lionel Messi's arrival has impacted his minutes on the pitch but the former Real Madrid winger has still scored three goals in Ligue 1. In all likelihood, Messi will overtake his Argentine teammate in the French league.
#2 Neymar
The start of the love affair between Messi and Neymar was at Barcelona. The two south American forwards combined to great effect and ruled Europe along with Luis Suarez as part of the fearsome MSN (Messi-Neymar-Suarez trident).
When Neymar left Barcelona for PSG, many expected him to return to play with Messi one day. However, as happens in football, the exact opposite has happened. The two players reuntied at PSG this season.
Neymar has spent a large chunk of the season off the pitch due to injuries but he has now returned for the crucial part of the season.
Neymar already knows how to dominate Ligue 1 and has already scored four league goals in the limited match time he has had.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has been the man of the campaign for PSG so far. While rumors of a switch to Real Madrid continue, Mbappe's performances haven't been affected. With fourteen Ligue 1 goals, he is PSG's top scorer so far. The Frenchman has played in different positions in the attacking third but has been effective at all times.
Many expected that the arrival of Lionel Messi might take some of the light away from Mbappe. However, that hasn't been the case due to Mbappe's red hot form and Messi's slow start to life in Paris.
Pochettino would like to protect Mbappe if PSG can venture deep into the cup tournaments, especially in the Champions League. But for Lionel Messi to catch Mbappe's tally of 12 Ligue 1 goals this season, it would take a major goal-scoring from the Argentine maestro.
