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Lionel Messi is expected to start when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) take on rivals Olympique Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday (April 17).
Mauricio Pochettino's side are edging closer to winning the Ligue 1 title following their emphatic 6-1 win over Clermont Foot last weekend. PSG's frontline was in great form, with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar both netting hat-tricks.
Messi also had a great game as he registered three assists on the night. This was the second time this season that he provided three assists in one match. He previously achieved the feat in November last year against Saint-Etienne.
In the process, the 34-year-old became the first Ligue 1 player to provide three assists in two different games in the same season.
Based on his current form, Messi is expected to start in the front three, along with Neymar and Mbappe. According to the official medical report as seen on the club's website, the only forward missing from the team to face Marseille is Julian Draxler. The Germany international is recovering from a knee injury.
Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes when PSG faced Marseille earlier this season. The forward, however, failed to make any significant contributions in a 0-0 draw. It is worth mentioning that this is the only time Messi has faced Marseille in his illustrious career.
Paris Saint-Germain are top of the Ligue 1 charts with seven matches remaining in the season. They have amassed 71 points from 31 matches.
Marseille, meanwhile, are second in the standings, having accumulated 59 points. They are currently 12 points behind PSG in the table. A win against Mauricio Pochettino's side will give them an outside chance of making a late title push.
How has Lionel Messi performed for PSG in his first season in France?
Lionel Messi joined PSG on a free transfer from Barcelona in the summer of 2021. The Argentine has had a difficult time adjusting to the French top flight.
Goals have been hard to come by for Messi in his first season in France. As things stand, he has scored just three times in 21 Ligue 1 appearances.
However, Messi has turned from scorer to provider this season. The former Barcelona superstar has contributed 13 assists in the league and is only trailing his teammate Kylian Mbappe (14) in the assists charts.
Overall, Messi has scored eight goals and provided 13 assists in 28 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions. Five of those goals came in the UEFA Champions League.
