Messi ‘unhappy’ after being targeted for criticism in contact with Al-Khelaifi

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi is reportedly not happy with the way French newspaper Le Parisien has consistently criticized him after games. The star is fully aware of the close relationship between PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and the leaders of the popular French paper. Le Parisien has notably had a number of PSG exclusives, even breaking the news about Messi’s signing first.

This makes the recent criticism of Lionel Messi by Le Parisien more prominent. The newspaper rated Messi’s recent performances poorly, and according to El Nacional, Messi does not think the ratings are realistic. The star is also reportedly unhappy because Le Parisien’s ratings are also affecting his popularity in the PSG fanbase.

Mauricio Pochettino's side emerged 2-0 victors over Monaco partly due to Lionel Messi's assist in their last Ligue 1 match. Irrespective of that, Le Parisien gave the Argentine a paltry 4.5 rating out of 10. The newspaper explained their reason for the poor rating, demanding that the star exceeds expectations.

"We expect more accuracy from the seven-time winner of the Golden Ball, as he missed many easy passes," it wrote.

The repeatedly unfavorable assessments have come as a shock to Lionel Messi, especially from a newspaper with very close links to PSG president Al-Khelaifi. The situation is reportedly difficult for the Argentine, who enjoyed a close relationship with the press at Barcelona.

PSG's objective is to win the Champions League: Lionel Messi

Although PSG were set to take on Manchester United in the knockout stages of the Champions League, the redraw has paired the French giants with Real Madrid. Many pundits and fans were excited to see another Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo game. But the excitement won't diminish much as the Argentine returns to face an old foe in Los Blancos.

Lionel Messi, meanwhile, has been clear on the expectations for PSG this season:

"The objective for PSG is to win the Champions League, that's everyone's aim," he recently said at the Dubai Expo 2020. "The team has been very close before. It's an essential competition for all teams. We'll try to win it."