“There is no excuse”, "System player" – Fans slam Lionel Messi for lacklustre display during PSG’s 3-3 draw against Strasbourg

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Strasbourg played out an enthralling 3-3 draw in Ligue 1 on 29 April, with Lionel Messi yet again disappointing for the Parisians.

PSG wrapped up the Ligue 1 title last Sunday with a 1-1 draw against Lens and were looking to get back to winning ways against Strasbourg.

Messi has been criticized this season for his lack of goals, with the Argentinian having scored just nine goals in all competitions so far.

He was once again under scrutiny for a performance that failed to convince the Parc des Princes faithful. Messi's closest strike came in the first-half through a 25th minute free-kick that sailed past Matz Sels' goal.

Fans took to Twitter to share their reactions to yet another match where the legendary forward failed to find the net this season. Here are some of their reactions:

Another disappointing outing for Lionel Messi in a pulsating 3-3 thriller between PSG and Strasbourg

Lionel Messi's poor run of form in Paris continued with the blank against Strasbourg. The Argentinian has scored just four goals in a league where he was expected to dominate.

His strike against Lens on April 23 proved to be a title-winning goal for the Parisians. However, it has been somewhat of an indifferent season for the former Barcelona star.

Kylian Mbappe has been by far PSG's most influential player this season, scoring 24 goals and and making 16 assists in the league so far. He was at his usual best during the 3-3 draw with Strasbourg as well.

The fifth-placed side came out all guns blazing. Kevin Gameiro gave them an early lead in the second minute, lashing home from close range.

But Mbappe made an impact in the 23rd minute after good play from Neymar. The French star toe-poked through the legs of Matz Sels to draw PSG level. He was once again at the forefront of PSG's attack as his delightful cross allowed Achraf Hakimi to dispatch home from close range in the 64th minute.

Mbappe's inevitability once again took hold in the 68th minute as he capitalized on Alexander Dijku's mistake to put the Parisians 3-1 up.

But Strasbourg weren't willing to give up the game. They found a way back into the match through a Marco Veratti own goal in the 75th minute, giving them hope of an unlikely draw.

They then struck in the dying embers of the game as a cross from Dimitri Lienard fell to Anthony Caci, who placed home a 92nd-minute finish.

An entertaining affair with both sides eager to earn all three points, Strasbourg will be proud of their display.

For Messi, meanwhile, the criticism over his questionable debut season at the Parc des Princes continues.

About the author

Matthew is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda who has been covering news, rumors and match reports for close to 3 years. Learning creative writing from University of Essex, he combined his skills and passion for football take up writing for the sport professionally.

Matthew always strives to go beyond a story and offer unique and lesser-known insights, while maintaining an unbiased tone in his articles. His reporting exploits at the company have helped him gain a humungous readership of 25 million, with one of his articles raking in a whopping 724,000 reads.

A Manchester United fan since childhood, Matthew admired Sir Alex Ferguson for his loyalty and brave coaching style. His favorite footballer is Thierry Henry, believing the Frenchman to be uniquely talented and charismatic. An ardent Three Lions fan, England's penalty shootout win over Colombia in 2018 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment of all time, and he believes that Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe will have a Ballon d’Or duopoly after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He also follows his local EFL League Two clubs AFC Wimbledon and Sutton United, and spends his free time watching and writing about professional wrestling. He also likes to work out, watch movies and go for night outs.

Know More