If Paris Saint-Germain is going to overcome the 1-0 hole in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match, it will be on the boots of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
Messi and Mbappe terrorized the Olympique de Marseille defense in the 3-0 victory over their archrival last Sunday at the Stade Vélodrome. Former footballer Robert Pires spoke to Le Parisien (h/t Paris Fans) and revealed why the duo is seeing success.
Additionally, Pires states that Messi has decided to serve Mbappé and it is a mark of intelligence and skill.
“From the outside, I have the impression that everyone has evolved and changed their attitude in contact with the other,” Pires told the French media outlet. “Kylian has become more selfless in the game.
“And having been the king of Barcelona, Messi gives the impression of having accepted Kylian as the boss of the pitch in Paris and put himself at his service. It’s a mark of intelligence and humility since that’s what makes them win.”
The former Arsenal man believes that the two players breathe the same football and have agreed to play together to change the little things in their game.
“It’s silly to say, but it’s the reality; they play the same football,” Pires continued. “It works because not only do they have the same ideas [and] the same conception of the game but also because there is an obvious feeling between them.
“As soon as one can please the other, he does. And if there is the possibility for the one who has been served to give the room change to the other, that is done naturally, too.”
Messi and Mbappe will need to pull off another performance as they did against Marseille to allow the French giants to have a shot at advancing past the Bundesliga side and into the quarterfinals.
