Argentine forward Lionel Messi earned a start in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg fixture against Real Madrid.
Overall, Messi missed a penalty attempt, recorded two shots on target and created four goal-scoring chances for teammates.
In the big picture, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino sees that Messi had a quality performance but overall, what matters is that the team collectively shined, which he touched on in his post-match press conference.
“The most important thing is that the team showed a better level than usual,” Pochettino said. “Leo had a great game even though he missed a penalty, which can happen to any player. The offensive options also went through his feet. We often talk about winning games in the last minute. When that happens several times, it’s a credit.”
The Argentine international is now averaging 2.0 key passes per match in Champions League play this season.
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