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Lionel Messi is expected to start when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) host Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.
The Parisian giants will be keen on wanting to return to winning ways after suffering a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Nantes in their last match. Mauricio Pochettino's side were surprisingly 3-0 down at half-time in the game.
Messi will now be expected to make things right when they face Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes. The 34-year-old forward will likely feature alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the front three.
Neymar's return is vital for PSG as they look to secure another Ligue 1 title this season. The Brazilian superstar netted a consolation against Nantes in their defeat last week. Messi was the one who provided the assist to Neymar on that occasion.
It is worth mentioning that Lionel Messi had one of his best games in a PSG shirt against Saint-Etienne earlier this season. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner provided three assists as Mauricio Pochettino's side secured a 3-1 win earlier this season.
Despite falling to a defeat against Nantes, PSG are still comfortable at the top of the Ligue 1 standings. As things stand, the Parisian giants have amassed 59 points from 25 matches. They are currently 13 points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille.
Saint-Etienne, on the other hand, are struggling in the lower half of the standings. They are currently 16th in the table, having accumulated 22 points from 25 matches. However, it is worth noting that Les Verts are currently unbeaten in their last four league outings, winning three and drawing once.
Lionel Messi is slowly generating the numbers expected from him at PSG
Lionel Messi had a slow start to his new life in France following his free transfer from Barcelona in the summer of 2021. However, the 34-year-old forward is now slowly finding his feet in Ligue 1 and contributing regularly to the cause.
Messi has made a bright start to the 2022 calendar year. The Argentine skipper has registered four assists in his last four Ligue 1 matches. He also scored against Lille earlier this month. However, this was only his second league goal of the campaign so far in 15 games.
Messi failed to register his first Champions League goal of 2022 when his penalty in the first-leg of the Round of 16 against Real Madrid was saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Lionel Messi's overall record for PSG currently stands at seven goals and nine assists in 22 matches across all competitions. The 34-year-old forward is currently the club's second-highest goalscorer behind Kylian Mbappe (22 goals).
