French journalist takes shot at Lionel Messi after PSG superstar scores late winner against Lille

Lionel Messi fired Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to a victory over Lille with a last-minute free-kick goal at the weekend, but French journalist Daniel Riolo was not impressed.

PSG bounced back from their three-match losing streak with a hard-fought 4-3 win against Lille on Sunday, February 19. Kylian Mbappe (twice), Neymar, and Lionel Messi were on the scoresheet for the Parisians.

It appeared that the two teams would have to share the spoils as the scoreline read 3-3 heading into the final minutes of the game. However, Messi turned the game in his side's favor with a stunning free-kick goal five minutes into injury time.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner was largely silent for most of the game, but stepped up for Les Parisiens when they needed him the most. He thus fired the team to a much-needed win at the Parc des Princes.

However, the heroics did not prevent Riolo from taking a shot at Messi after the game. The French journalist suggested that the forward's winner will take attention away from his overall underwhelming performance. He wrote on Twitter:

"I'm afraid that after this goal from Messi, emotion will prevail over reason…. Unfortunately, this is often the case in football."

Lionel Messi will nevertheless be delighted to have scored what was his fourth goal in six Ligue 1 appearances in 2023.

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How has Lionel Messi fared for PSG this term?

Lionel Messi, who joined PSG on a free transfer in 2021, has been in fine form for the club this season. After struggling to hit the ground running at the Parc des Princes in his debut season, he appears to have hit his stride this term.

The Argentinian icon has made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Parisians this season. He found the back of the net 16 times and provided 14 assists for his teammates in those games.

Although Christophe Galtier's side have struggled for form since the turn of the year, Messi has continued to contribute goals. The 35-year-old will be pivotal to the team's chances of progressing further in the UEFA Champions League.

Les Parisiens currently face the risk of crashing out of the European competition. They notably succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at home in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie last week.

Galtier and Co. now have to overturn the result in the second leg of the tie in Munich on March 8. They will want the likes of Messi firing on all cylinders that night.