Earlier this week, Lionel Messi took some time to speak to TyC Sports, where he touched on his debut season at Paris Saint-Germain. He acknowledged that it was not an effortless adaption to go from Barcelona to PSG, as he also had to “get used to a way of playing.”
From former French forward Jerome Rothen’s standpoint, he is not necessarily buying into the notion that the Argentine’s adaption at PSG was really behind his roller-coaster first season with the side. Speaking to RMC Sport, Rothen went in-depth on this matter, where he also noted that the forward’s sluggish campaign also came down to sheer effort.
“He had a disgusting year, at all levels,” Rothen said. “You can have extenuating circumstances, he comes from Barcelona, where he was since he was young. The problem of adaptation can happen to all players. But we are talking about the best player in the world of football. We could not understand that the adaptation takes more than a year.
“From a sporting point of view, there is a problem of belonging to PSG. … I feel that he was a mercenary on the field. If you can’t run, don’t come on the field. On the field, you are judged as a 100 percent player. Make an effort. … During the last game against Metz, there was a party with the fans, did you see the face of Leo Messi? He was sulking, he didn’t share it with his kids and family on the field like the others. Make an effort.”
Messi finished the Ligue 1 season with 20 total goal contributions, although he chipped in for a mere six goals, with four of them coming inside the box.
Messi is currently with the Argentina national team, as it will have an international friendly fixture ahead against Estonia.
