Messi handed 3/10 by L'Equipe after Champions League loss to Bayern Munich

French newspaper L'Equipe was in no mood to massage any egos after they savaged Paris Saint-Germain's players in their latest match ratings.

PSG's stars apologised to their ultras at full-time following a 1-0 first leg defeat to Bayern Munich in the last-16 of the Champions League.

With star man Kylian Mbappe starting on the bench, PSG went with Lionel Messi and Neymar as a pairing in attack and both found themselves savaged in the pages of L'Equipe on Wednesday morning with marks of 3/10.

Messi, who continued to drop deep in order to get involved in the game, was criticised for having 'minimal influence' on proceedings until Mbappe came on as a second half substitute.

Neymar, meanwhile, was lambasted for his inefficiency with the ball and his decision making in attacking areas, with PSG finishing with nine fewer shots, three fewer shots on target and less possession.

L'Equipe are notoriously ruthless when it comes to their ratings and any player getting a perfect 10/10 - of which 14 have done so in history - can take it as the highest of praise.

But there was nothing close to that for PSG's stars when the rule was ran over them at Parc des Princes.

Manager Christophe Galtier, himself humiliated with a 3/10 grade, had only two players - Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos - at a 6/10 or above.

'Rarely has a PSG team delivered such a flat first half,' moaned L'Equipe of Galtier's tactics.

It was a bold call to start with 16-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery, referred to in the build-up as PSG's 'secret weapon'.

But L'Equipe's critics were unimpressed by the teenager, who was summarily dismissed with a mark of 3/10.

He wasn't 'strong enough in his duels' and L'Equipe felt it was an eye-opening experience of just how high the level is compared to finding his way with minutes in Ligue 1.

A damning average score of 3.9 for PSG's side spoke to the disappointment in Paris as they head to Munich for the second leg next month needing a much-improved display to have any hopes of reaching the quarter finals.

It was a Frenchman who caught the newspaper's eye - he was just in the red of Bayern rather than the navy of PSG.

'Very good' Dayot Upamecano achieved the highest score of any player on the night - an 8/10 mark - having kept both Messi and Neymar quiet for large spells.

His centre back partner Matthjis de Ligt was a notch down at 6/10 and he was warned that his aggressiveness 'could have cost him dearly because of some unnecessary fouls.'

Despite Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann making 'intelligent adjustements' this was far from a vintage Bayern Munich display - and the tie is far from over.

While Neymar and Messi were on the end of stinging remarks in the ratings, the 'inefficiency' of Bayern's Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala was alarming to those at L'Equipe.

Ex-Man City winger Sane also had his work rate called into question.

'He is a good player but he lacks so much efficiency,' his report card read.

'Unlike his team-mates, he put little intensity in his attacking in the first half. His influence was very weak.'

Goalscorer Coman, popular in Paris as a French international, received a 7/10 mark, while midfield anchor Joshua Kimmich got the same grade.

'He is the total player,' L'Equipe raved about Kimmich.

'He was precise as the creative facilitator for the Bavarian side.'

Benjamin Pavard, who saw red late on for a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box on Messi, still came away with a seven, with much of L'Equipe's praise for Bayern centred on the success of their back three system, which he played on the right of.

English referee Michael Oliver was scored 7/10.

Victory means that Bayern have won all seven of their Champions League matches this season - which they last did in 2019-20 when they went on to beat PSG in the final.

For PSG it is now five defeats in all competitions in 2023 and after a cup exit at the hands of Marseille, a league defeat to Monaco and a first leg Champions League loss to Bayern PSG find themselves at a make-or-break point in their season.