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Lionel Messi couldn't help Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) avoid another premature exit from the Champions League yesterday (March 8) as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the second leg of their round of 16 encounters.
Following the setback, former Parisian star David Ginola has pointed fingers at the Argentine and midfielder Vitinha for failing to rise up to the occasion.
After suffering a disappointing 1-0 loss in the first leg of their tie with Bayern Munich in France, all eyes were on PSG to see if they could stage a comeback in the return leg in Germany.
However, the Ligue 1 giants were beaten 2-0 and condemned to a 3-0 loss on aggregate.
Despite playing the full 90 minutes, Lionel Messi couldn't find a way around the Bavarians' rigid defensive line. Speaking after the game, David Ginola couldn't hide his disappointment at seeing the club crash out of Europe's elite tournament once again without a fight.
The Frenchman said on Canal+:
"I am disgusted. We end a match like this with disappointment, which is due to a clear lack of commitment and investment by the players. There has been a problem for years."
“The PSG group of players needs to be more committed and invested in order to succeed in the Champions League. Individual talents alone are not enough to win the competition. You need a solid midfield and depth on the bench.”
The former PSG forward then highlighted Lionel Messi and Vitinha as the scapegoats for the Parisians' capitulation at the Allianz Arena. He said:
“At midfield, PSG is not up to the level of competition. Vitinha is not up to par and neither is Messi."
Following their elimination from Europe, the Parisians will now switch their focus to Ligue 1 this weekend where they will take on Brest away from home on Saturday (11 March).
Christophe Galtier's men currently lead the race for the title with 63 points in 23 games. They have recorded 20 victories, three draws and as many defeats so far this season.
Lionel Messi could leave PSG in the summer
Lionel Messi will become a free agent in the summer after running out his contract at the Parc des Princes. As per GOAL, he has no intention of signing a new deal with the French giants and is likely to depart.
It has been rumored that he could end up sealing a return to Barcelona. Blaugrana president Joan Laporta and club manager Xavi Hernandez remain committed to bringing the Argentine back to Camp Nou. However, the Blaugrana's financial constraints pose a serious problem.
Messi could also move to the Premier League, or the MLS, or even decide to reunite his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Arabian league.
