Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain were left reeling from their dismal 1-0 loss to Lyon on Sunday, with fans taking out their frustrations on the Argentine superstar. As Messi's name was announced as part of the starting lineup, some spectators couldn't resist whispering a few disapproving notes.
The defeat marked PSG's second straight home loss, casting a dark cloud over what had promised to be a crucial moment in the season. With Lyon's victory, the team dropped six points behind leaders Lens and Marseille, who are now just a point behind them with only one game separating them from claiming the domestic title.
Messi, who has made 34 goal contributions for PSG this season, including 18 goals and 17 assists, failed to inspire his side in the wake of the Lyon win. Despite being lauded as the missing piece to unlock the Champions League trophy for PSG's Qatari owners, Messi was unable to prevent a second consecutive home defeat.
Coach Christophe Galtier refused to blame the struggles on Messi, emphasizing that he tries very hard but that other players also need to step up their game. "I found it [the jeering] hard to listen to," Galtier said in response to the criticism directed at his star player. "There may be expectations for Messi and Mbappe to unlock difficult situations... but around him, the other players also need to do their jobs."
PSG's season-defining week is about to begin, with a challenging fixture against unbeaten Nice before hosting Lens at home. A disastrous two-game losing streak followed a Champions League exit by Bayern Munich has left PSG on shaky ground, only managing to scrape past relegation-threatened Brest with a late Kylian Mbappe winner.
Former Lyon coach Laurent Blanc expressed his frustration that PSG's obsession with the Champions League may have come at the expense of their domestic campaign. "Paris' problem is when the No. 1 objective of the Champions League is no longer accessible, it seems that the season no longer exists - and at all levels," he said in response to PSG's current woes.
The harsh reality for Galtier and his team now is that the domestic title may slip through their fingers, as they try to rally from this latest setback.
The defeat marked PSG's second straight home loss, casting a dark cloud over what had promised to be a crucial moment in the season. With Lyon's victory, the team dropped six points behind leaders Lens and Marseille, who are now just a point behind them with only one game separating them from claiming the domestic title.
Messi, who has made 34 goal contributions for PSG this season, including 18 goals and 17 assists, failed to inspire his side in the wake of the Lyon win. Despite being lauded as the missing piece to unlock the Champions League trophy for PSG's Qatari owners, Messi was unable to prevent a second consecutive home defeat.
Coach Christophe Galtier refused to blame the struggles on Messi, emphasizing that he tries very hard but that other players also need to step up their game. "I found it [the jeering] hard to listen to," Galtier said in response to the criticism directed at his star player. "There may be expectations for Messi and Mbappe to unlock difficult situations... but around him, the other players also need to do their jobs."
PSG's season-defining week is about to begin, with a challenging fixture against unbeaten Nice before hosting Lens at home. A disastrous two-game losing streak followed a Champions League exit by Bayern Munich has left PSG on shaky ground, only managing to scrape past relegation-threatened Brest with a late Kylian Mbappe winner.
Former Lyon coach Laurent Blanc expressed his frustration that PSG's obsession with the Champions League may have come at the expense of their domestic campaign. "Paris' problem is when the No. 1 objective of the Champions League is no longer accessible, it seems that the season no longer exists - and at all levels," he said in response to PSG's current woes.
The harsh reality for Galtier and his team now is that the domestic title may slip through their fingers, as they try to rally from this latest setback.
... fans are piling on him after a tough loss and I don't think it's cool 
. The guy's trying his best, we all know that! Christophe Galtier is right to call out the other players too - can't just put all the pressure on one star player 
. And I gotta say, former Lyon coach Laurent Blanc has a point about PSG prioritizing Champions League over domestic competitions 
... it's like they're forgetting what matters most in France 
. Can't afford to drop points at home right now 
... need a win against Nice and then Lens 
i'm so confused why ppl r so hard on messi he's been doin amazing all season 
or are they all so salty now? 
️ 6 points behind in the league with only one point separating them from winning it all... sounds like he needs some backup 
theyre like the ultimate disappointment club 
messi's still a genius but his teammates gotta step up their game or he'll be left holding the bag 
like, we all know messi's not gonna score 50 goals by himself 
just saying, psg's gotta get their act together or they'll be sleeping with the fishes 
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! With Messi's recent struggles under the spotlight, it's clear that everyone's expectations are sky-high 
. Coach Galtier's defense of his star player is understandable, but you can't deny that other players need to step up their game 
!
PSG needs to rally around their star player and get the other players to step up their game. It's not just about Mbappe either, they need everyone to be firing on all cylinders. 
. like i get it, he's not performing up to par right now & lyon deserved that win 4real . but blaming him for the whole season being over? let's give christophe galtier some credit 2, at least hes tryin 2 shift the blame 2 other players 
. but seriously, psg needs 2 figure out what went wrong @ home 2 b4 it's too late in the season 
. cant just rely on messi & kylian mbappe all da time... wut's da plan?
. And yeah, the team needs other players to step up their game too 
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. Can't they just find a rhythm and play some good football again? 