Messi, who joined PSG on a two-year contract after leaving Barcelona, brilliantly found the top corner in the second half to add Idrisa Guay’s opening first-half opener and saw the Capital club top Group A with four points. kept on
The Argentine forward, who joined PSG on a two-year contract after leaving Barcelona, found the top corner brilliantly to add an early first-half opener from Idrisa Guay in the second half and saw the Capitals move to Group A. placed at the top with four points.
Messi, 34, was silent on his fourth appearance for PSG until he netted a counter as his link-up game with France striker Kylian Mbappe bore fruit.
After two games, City are third on three points after their first loss in a group stage game since 2018, one point behind PSG and Club Brugge, who won 2–1 at RB Leipzig.
After sitting out two games with an injured knee, Messi started with Mbappe and Neymar, and for a long time it seemed that the role of a low forward was not suitable for a team playing on a counter attack.
But he scored in the 74th minute with his 121st goal in Europe’s elite club competition, triggering a deafening roar from the Parc des Princes crowd, who chanted his name long after effectively wrapping up the victory.
PSG missed opportunities in last season’s 4–1 aggregate loss to City in the semi-finals, but this time they went for the kill early.
With Italy midfielder Marco Verratti also back from a knee injury and fellow Euro 2020 champion Gianluigi Donnarumma prioritizing Keylor Navas in goal, PSG soaked up the early pressure and found the net in their first attempt at City area.
In the eighth minute, Mbappe was played into space and Neymar missed his cutback, but Guay fired a rising shot into the far corner after a quick touch from a weak clearance from Kyle Walker.
PSG looked unfazed as City swung the ball around but they received a wake-up call in the 26th minute when Raheem Sterling crashed onto the header bar and fell to Bernardo Silva, who hit the bar from point-blank range. hit him again.
The visitors lacked sharpness in front of the goal and, although Donnarumma had to make three saves around the half-hour mark, PSG came close to scoring with a counter, with a shot by Ander Herrera from Mbappe’s assist by Ederson. ended.
Donnarumma made another save to keep out Ruben Dias’s header when Kevin de Bruyne was lucky enough to escape after landing on Guay’s calf with his stud.
City put more pressure at the start of the second half and needed Donnarumma again, this time to kick a low angled shot from De Bruyne.
However, PSG’s counter-attacks were always a threat, and Neymar was passed by Messi in the 65th minute, only for Mbappe to shoot wide for the Brazil forward waiting for a cross to the left.
The Argentine dribbled toward the box and slid the ball to Mbappe, who threw it back into his teammate’s path to hit Messi in the top corner.