"Lionel Messi didn't care that much" - Journalist says PSG are 'much more of a team' after offloading 'Dons of the dressing room'

Lionel Messi has been criticized for his time at PSG

French journalist Julien Laurens has spoken about Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) being a better team since Lionel Messi left the club last summer. The French giants have been crowned as champions of France with three games to play, and can still win two more trophies this season.

Lionel Messi joined PSG to a lot of fanfare after leaving Barcelona following the expiration of his contract with the Spanish giants. The Argentine forward immediately took on a starring role in the side but failed to inspire them to win the UEFA Champions League.

In two seasons of Lionel Messi at the club, PSG did not reach the latter stages of the tournament but are into the semifinals of the competition this season.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Laurens revealed that certain factors have come into play to ensure that this PSG side is the best they have had in recent years.

“I think it’s due to a few things. This is clearly the last season before there's a big change, in the sense that Mbappe will leave after seven years.

“There's also the timing; all of that happening at a moment where there's fewer issues, let's put it that way, in the dressing room and less egos. So, no more Messi, no more Neymar, no more Veratti, who were the ones, as good as they were on, off the pitch, were a bit like the Dons of the dressing room, if you will.

“I mean, Messi didn't care that much, but still, it was Messi and now in the dressing room, you've got people who just get on with everyone, who tell jokes to everybody in different languages, whereas before you had clans, and it doesn't seem that there are [any] clans anymore.

“Kylian could have been a disruptive presence in a way sometimes, last season, but even he wants to enjoy it. So even his ego seems to be a bit calmer than it would be in a normal situation considering he's the best player in the world. So I think all of that put together makes it why this is much more of a team than really we've ever seen since the Qataris arrived.”

PSG are on course to win the treble, having already won the league for the 10th time in 12 years. They will take on Olympique Lyonnais in the final of the Coupe de France and Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

Jadon Sancho emulates Lionel Messi's record in win over PSG

Borussia Dortmund ace Jadon Sancho put on his best Lionel Messi imitation as he helped his side to a 1-0 win over PSG in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final. The Manchester United loanee was undoubtedly the star of the show in the game at the Signal Iduna Park.

Sancho became the first player since Lionel Messi to complete 12+ dribbles in the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League. The Englishman also created three chances for his teammates and should have grabbed a couple of assists in the game.

Jadon Sancho and Borussia Dortmund stand in the way of Luis Enrique reaching the UEFA Champions League final in his first season with PSG. The French champions will be motivated to try and win the competition for the first time.