Did Lionel Messi struggle to adapt at PSG in his first season? Neymar clarifies

Lionel Messi did not have a glorious first season with PSG. Meanwhile, Neymar has explained the Argentine’s struggles in his opening season.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has completed his first season with French champion Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). It has been an average season for the former Barcelona legend, having won just a title in the form of Ligue 1. In terms of his performance, he has plundered just 11 goals in 34 matches across tournaments. While it happens to be a significant dip in his performance compared to the same with the Catalans, it is not entirely surprising since he struggled to adjust to an unfamiliar territory after nearly 20 years of a career in Spain. But, what were the struggles he faced? His Parisians teammate Neymar has clarified.

Speaking to Canal Football Club, Neymar discussed Messi’s adaptability issues in Paris and articulated, “Everything you can imagine, you sent it there. It didn’t take long at Barcelona. You stayed there for many years. It’s difficult to adapt. It’s difficult for you to change teams in the city, right? He doesn’t go alone.”

“His [Messi’s] family only has a different language, so there are many things that end up getting in the way of the style. It’s like playing players who end up not understanding the way he plays, so it’s increasingly not just me but also players who are always charged. We know our responsibility is the net performance by numbers by titles, and that’s why we have to be better,” added Neymar.

On the other hand, Messi’s Argentine teammate Sergio Aguero hailed his performance and worded, “It’s still his first year and having to adapt to a different league. His performance has been outstanding. Leaving the Champions League aside, they won the league comfortably. PSG is full of elite players, and Leo is a winner. I’m sure his second season will be even better.”