Anything less than a 10/10 performance in the Champions League from Argentinian Lionel Messi is usually received with raised eyebrows, so to see him receive 2/10 from one French newspaper was something of a shock.
That is, unless you actually watched the 29-year-old during Barcelona’s 4-0 defeat to Paris St-Germain. The Catalan side were generally poor, but Messi’s contribution among them was noticeably weak.
Is this the first 2/10 Messi has ever received?
The @lequipe ratings: 2 out of 10 for Messi. I don't think he'd argue.
(I think Verratti deserved a 9 too though).#PSG #Barca pic.twitter.com/tb4wXSfQVR
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) February 14, 2017
Fairly confident this is the first time @lequipe has given Messi 2/10 pic.twitter.com/kEemsa1P7k
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) February 14, 2017
In fairness, Messi wasn’t the only player to receive a two – Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Andre Gomes and Jordi Alba all received the same rating, while PSG’s Angel Di Maria and Adrien Rabiot received 9/10 scores.It was a colossal failure from the five-time Champions League winners, who now have the unenviable task of attempting to become the first team in the tournament’s history to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit.
Didn’t see (and still haven’t) any of the #PSGFCB game, as was travelling home. #Messi getting 2 out of 10 from L’Equipe tells me everything
— Jason Pettigrove (@jasonpettigrove) February 15, 2017
The statistics don’t provide any comfort for Luis Enrique’s players either – you’re significantly reducing your chances of scoring there, chaps.
Shots on target by MSN against PSG:
Messi (0)
Suarez (0)
Neymar (0)Pocketed by Presnel Kimpembe and co. ?? pic.twitter.com/nSO8ZELiQm
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 14, 2017
Others pointed the finger squarely at the manager, but was this simply a blip for modern football’s greatest team?
If a team with *Messi* loses 4-0, there is a critical managerial dysfunction
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) February 15, 2017
Keep your eyes on Lionel in the second leg, folks.