Lionel Messi returned to the familiar jersey after a long time. Following the rules of the French Cup, PSG dropped Messi in the number 10 jersey yesterday. But the known enemy of PSG has become bigger than Messi of the known jersey. Lil won the league last season by beating PSG. French coach Christophe Galatier was instrumental in making a very ordinary team great.
Nice has joined Galatians this season. PSG could not beat Galatier’s team in the league last season. Mauricio Pachettino’s side has not beaten Nice in the league this season either. PSG played against Nice in the French Cup at home yesterday. Pachettino fielded a strong team with Messi-Icardi-Veratti. But once again Galatier’s strategy has won. Nice beat PSG 6-5 on penalties after a goalless draw in regulation time.
Galatier was also revenge. Lil lost in the last 16 of the cup, although he did not concede to PSG in the league last season. Lille bade farewell to the reigning champions in the last 16 of the French Cup for the new team.
Although he recovered from Corona, Messi did not play in the World Cup qualifier for Argentina because he was not fully fit. But coach Pachettino thinks Messi is perfectly fit. So yesterday he was dropped in the original XI. He was joined in the attack by another Argentine, Mauro Icardi. Tomorrow there was no way to get Anhel Di Maria to go to play the qualifying match. Even in this situation, Killian Mbappe has been dropped and Julian Draxler has been dropped.
There is no one player in form, the coach did not put another player in the XI. This decision has boomeranged. PSG, the final game of seven consecutive French Cups, could not get up to the quarter this time.
Messi-Icardi’s attack has proved to be dull in the face of Galatier’s freezing defense. Messi seemed lifeless in the first half. PSG created an opportunity to score the first goal in the second half. But Marco Verratti’s shot went over the bar. Pachettino picked up Icardi in the 60th minute and dropped Mbappe. PSG’s attacking edge increased after Mbappe, but his team did not score a goal.
Lionel Messi and Killian Mbappe took the first two shots for PSG in the tiebreaker. They have done their job well. Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes wasted the shot at number three. Meanwhile, Andy Delorte also missed, so the two teams went ahead equally. Nice Dante gave the team a 6-5 lead in the seventh shot with a Panenka. Xavi Simmons, the midfielder who went to PSG from Barcelona Academy, was responsible for keeping PSG in the match. But his shot was blocked by PSG goalkeeper Marchin Bulka!