Many know Lionel Messi is performing at the FC Barcelona level after struggling in his first season with Paris Saint-Germain. Several pundits have given their opinion on what has changed to see Messi back in top form.
In an interview with L’Equipe (via Paris Fans), Mauro Cetto, an Argentine defender who played for FC Nantes, spoke to the French publication about what he has seen from Messi in contrast to how his compatriot performed in Year 1 at PSG.
“What we saw last season was just a minimal version of him,” Cetto said. “Today, we see the real Messi. A much more complete player, who plays a few meters lower, but who scores and scores his teammates. […] He is again, for me, the best in the world.
“He’s a player who doesn’t tend to get injured a lot. But we fear that something will happen to him. Especially since this could be his last World Cup. We are all looking forward to these three matches with PSG being over.”
With Messi performing at a high level, the French giants want to keep the veteran forward past June 2023, when his contract expires. Nonetheless, PSG intends to have a new contract in place for Messi before next summer.
FC Barcelona and Inter Miami are keen to land the seven-time Ballon d’Or. Still, with the way the PSG star is playing, there’s no way the Ligue 1 side wants to see him exit with the way he’s performing alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr.