Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Lionel Messi is expected to start and play a role when they take on Lens in Ligue 1 tonight.
PSG will travel to Lens with the aim of getting back to winning ways in the French league. The Parisian giants were held to a 0-0 draw by Nice in their last league fixture.
Lionel Messi is expected to partner Kylian Mbappe in attack for PSG. The Ligue 1 giants will be without Neymar as he picked up an ankle injury during their win over St-Etienne.
Argentine winger Angel Di Maria is expected to partner Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in attack against Lens. PSG will also be without Julian Draxler for their next fixture.
Lionel Messi did not have a positive impact on the game when PSG drew 0-0 with Nice in midweek. The 34-year-old forward came into the game after winning his seventh Ballon d'Or award, beating the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho.
However, Messi was the star performer when PSG defeated St-Etienne 3-1 a week earlier. The former Barcelona skipper provided all three assists as the Parisian giants recorded a routine win in Ligue 1.
PSG are currently well clear at the top of the Ligue 1 standings. Mauricio Pochettino's men have picked up 41 points from 16 games and are 12 points clear of rivals Olympique Marseille.
Lionel Messi has made a below-par start to his PSG career
Much was expected of Lionel Messi when he moved to PSG from Barcelona earlier in the summer. However, the 34-year-old forward has made a slow start to life in the French capital.
As things stand, Lionel Messi has scored just four goals and contributed three assists in 12 appearances across all competitions. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has mostly struggled to find his feet in Ligue 1.
Lionel Messi has only scored once in the league. However, the 34-year-old forward did have an outstanding game against St-Etienne as mentioned earlier.
Despite his struggles in Ligue 1, Lionel Messi has been one of PSG's best players in the Champions League. The Argentine skipper has scored three goals in four games in Europe. Messi scored his first goal for the club when PSG secured a 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
The 34-year-old forward later went on to score a brace in PSG's 3-2 win over RB Leipzig at the Parc des Princes.