Christophe Galtier has slammed supporters who whistled Lionel Messi after Paris Saint Germain’s Ligue 1 defeat to Lyon on Sunday.
Paris Saint Germain fans have made their feelings regarding Lionel Messi clear. They want him out of their club as they continually boo him. The Argentine legend was whistled and taunted by the PSG fans after the team lost 1-0 to Lyon. Bradley Barcola scored the only goal for the visitors when he applied a cool finish to a Nseke assist.
Under pressure boss Christophe Galtier slammed the supporters for whistling while supporting Messi’s performance, implying that the team’s other players need to perform better on the field.
Galtier spoke about the whistles after the game when he spoke to the media. He said, “Whistles against Leo Messi are very harsh. Leo is a player who gives a lot. He also gave a lot in the first part of the season but it is also up to other players to have more functions.”
Christopher Galtier has called out Paris Saint-Germain fans who whistled at Lionel Messi as 'very harsh.'
— Sean Cardovillis (@seancardo) April 3, 2023
The Argentine legend was booed on Sunday as PSG went 1-0 down to Lyon, with the French champions going on to lose their second game in a row.#Ligue1 #seanknows pic.twitter.com/MV6wOrZq5t
This is not the first time the PSG fans have booed the 35-year-old World Cup winner. PSG ultras and fans booed the Argentine World Cup winner at their home stadium Parc des Princes after they were knocked out by Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 last year.
This season he again experienced that when they faced Stade Rennes before the international break. This came after another UEFA Champions League Round of 16 loss against Bayern Munich. The fans are upset with the Argentine superstar as he has failed to make an impact in the Champions League or any big games since arriving in 2021.
Why was Messi booed?
The behavior of the PSG fans is in stark contrast with the adoration of the Argentine fans who recently mobbed the star outside a restaurant. So why is he being booed?
Mainly because of the frustration of losing continuous Champions League even after buying stars like Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar. PSG fans gave a history of booing their stars after any failure. PSG’s transfer policy of recruiting stars without any strategy is being mocked with Messi bearing the brunt of the insults.
Messi also won the World Cup against France, which makes the French fans of the club have a predisposed antagonism towards the Argentine captain. The fact that Messi is yet to renew his contract and the belief that he is not committed to the PSG project are other reasons.
Why is Lionel Messi likely to leave PSG?
Lionel Messi is yet to sign a contract extension with his current club Paris Saint Germain. His previous contract expires this summer. Messi and his camp did have a verbal agreement to continue in Paris. But the Argentine had a change of heart after winning the World Cup last year.
It is said that Messi is closer to leaving PSG than continuing. The main reasons are the Champions League elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich, rumors of dressing room problems, and PSG facing possible UEFA sanctions for breaching their Financial Fair Play rules. The fact that the PSG fans are actively booing him for their club’s problems could also be a deciding factor.
The most likely destinations reportedly for Messi’s next clubs are Barcelona or Inter Miami. Inter Miami and recently Barcelona have both said that they are actively trying to bring the Argentine back to Camp Nou.
Where do you think Leo Messi will play next season? Do you think we will see Messi in the PSG shirt again? Or will he don the Catalan shirt of his childhood again? Let us know in the comments down below!
