“He never gave a damn about PSG” - Daniel Riolo launches astonishing attack on Lionel Messi

French journalist Daniel Riolo has questioned Lionel Messi's commitment to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as the forward reportedly edges closer to an exit.

There are doubts about Messi's future in Paris as his contract with Les Parisiens expires at the end of the season. The Ligue 1 giants have made no secret of their desire to tie him down to a new deal.

However, talks over a fresh contract have not proved fruitful so far, with the Argentinian contemplating an exit. According to RMC Sport, Messi will part ways with PSG this summer.

As the seven-time Ballon d'Or edges closer to leaving the club, Riolo has assessed his time in France. The journalist reckons Messi only joined Les Parisiens in 2021 because he had nowhere else to go after leaving Barcelona, telling Tutto Mercato Web:

"He never gave a damn about PSG. Quite simply, he couldn't stay at Barcelona and PSG were the only club that could pay a salary that lived up to his expectations. What else did he do?

"Also this year, he only thought about preparing for the World Cup, which was too important for him, when he returned to Paris Saint-Germain (at the start of the season)."

Riolo termed Lionel Messi's stint with PSG as average and blasted the Argentinian for failing to turn up in big games, especially in the UEFA Champions League, saying:

"The years at Paris Saint-Germain have shown that when the stakes rise, he disappears. The Messi we see in Paris is at an average level and it's also a bit sad. He scored a few goals against medium-small level teams, but then what did he do in the Champions League?

"Last year, in the round of 16, he missed a penalty in the first leg (against Real Madrid) and disappeared in the moment of greatest difficulty in Madrid. This year, nothing else happened and Paris Saint-Germain are out in the round of 16 again."

Messi has bagged 29 goals and 32 assists from 67 appearances across competitions for Les Parisiens so far.

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Lionel Messi will leave no memory at PSG, says Daniel Riolo

Daniel Riolo reckons Lionel Messi's spell at PSG will not be remembered fondly. He also criticized the former Barcelona superstar for rarely acknowledging the fans after games, saying:

"Messi will leave no memory at Paris Saint-Germain. He even took the liberty of being offended when he and Neymar were booed after Madrid, but the reality is that the public booed the symbol of business football and not them as people or players. But no one in the club explained it to them.

"And also, have you ever seen a player who never greets the fans in two years? Tell me if there is a club in Italy that would accept something like that."

As Lionel Messi's contract nears an end, it remains to be seen where his future lies. He reportedly has an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, while a return to Barcelona is also an option.