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It is still a dream for many to play with or against Lionel Messi. This was the case yesterday when Reims defender Andreaw Gravillon had the privilege of defending against one of the greats, who was making his much-anticipated debut for Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi made his introduction at the Stade Auguste Delaune last night. He came on as a substitute when his longtime friend and teammate Neymar made way for him in the 66th minute. The historic moment was witnessed by over 20,000 fans at the stadium and millions watching around the globe.
Messi's refusal is understandable
The Argentine did not manage to seal his debut with a goal or an assist. But everyone was exhilarated that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner was playing in France after his unlikely departure from Barcelona. After the match, the Guadeloupe defender approached Messi hoping to exchange shirts.
To his disappointment, Messi refused to give away the prestigious shirt in which he made his earth-shattering debut for the Parisians. The shirt in question is invaluable for the significance it holds. Gravillon is optimistic about getting the No. 30 jersey from the maestro in the reverse fixture.
“He’s impressive, last year we were watching him play in the Champions League, now it’s a pleasure to have him in our league and it’s also a pleasure to challenge him. I went to see him to get his shirt for my little brother, but he didn’t give it to me. Maybe next time I’ll get lucky," said Gravillon on playing against Messi H/T IBTimes.
PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino was asked about Messi's performance after the game concluded 2-0 in his side's favor. It's safe to say the Argentine coach was impressed with the way his fellow countryman has settled into the new environment.
While Pochettino was aware that this was an underwhelming performance from Messi, he also stated that the 34-year-old forward is not at his peak form yet. With further conditioning and the international break around the corner, the boss expects to see more input from the forward soon.
"He's [Messi] been good, I'm very happy to see him make his debut. It was important for him. He is far from his best form, but he is training very well. He will be better after the break. We expect the best from him. He brought serenity to the team, it's important to get off to a good start, even for him. He was happy and he is well integrated into the group. It was a matter of common sense to start him in this game," said Pochettino.
PSG's next Ligue 1 fixture is against Clermont Foot at the Parc des Princes on September 12.
