Lionel Messi might not have influenced the contest between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille OSC during the first 90 minutes, but the 35-year-old showed up in stoppage time when the capital club needed a goal.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner stepped up to take a free kick shot, where he beat Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier for the eventual game-winning goal.
SofaScore noted on Twitter that Messi has scored 28 free-kick goals in La Liga and Ligue 1 since the start of the 2015-16 season. No other player in Europe’s top five leagues scored more than 17 free-kicks in that time.
⚠️ | QUICK STAT
Lionel Messi has now scored 28 free-kick goals in LaLiga and Ligue 1 since the start of 2015/16 — no other player in the top 5 European leagues scored more than 17 free-kicks in that time span.
What a hit to win it in injury time for PSG! 🚀#PSGLOSC pic.twitter.com/9dF6jAR0pP
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) February 19, 2023
The stat shows how lethal the veteran can be when the opposition commits a foul within a distance that Messi can put a shot that might find itself in the back of the net.
As for PSG, the Ligue 1 side hopes that this win is what can turn around their recent misfortunes. After crashing out in the Coupe de France and losing the first leg 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League last Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes.
PSG hopes this comeback can serve as momentum that allows them to turn around the situation against the Bundesliga side on March 8 at the Allianz Arena.
