"It doesn’t really do anything for me" - Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun opens up on comparisions with PSG stars Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr

Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun has played down comparisons with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar, claiming that he does not get any satisfaction from his superior goal tally.

Balogun has been firing on all cylinders in Ligue 1 this season. Since joining Stade de Reims on loan from Arsenal at the start of the season, he has scored 17 times in 27 French top-flight matches. The 21-year-old is only a solitary goal away from leveling Glenn Hoddle’s record for scoring the most goals by an Englishman in Ligue 1.

Balogun’s tally of 17 Ligue 1 goals is superior to PSG stars Lionel Messi and Neymar's return. His stunning display in front of goal has drawn comparisons with the PSG pair, but Balogun remains unaffected by the lofty parallels.

Explaining his stance, the Arsenal loanee said (via football.london):

“Honestly, it [comparisons with Neymar and Messi] doesn’t really do anything for me.

“It would be very fickle to think ‘because I’ve got more goals than Messi or Neymar at this point in the season…’. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a credit to my team that I’ve been able to perform well, but I wouldn’t make any comparisons to being ahead of them. I wouldn’t take anything from that.”

Both Lionel Messi and Neymar have scored 13 goals in Ligue 1 this season. Messi has played 23 league games this season, while Neymar, who has been ruled out for the season with an ankle injury, has played 20.

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Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm claims Lionel Messi’s PSG do not play like a team

Despite having stars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Sergio Ramos, and Marco Verratti at their disposal, PSG could not overcome Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16. With a 3-0 aggregate defeat, the Parisians crashed out of the competition in the Round-of-16 stage for the second consecutive season.

Speaking to French outlet L’Equipe, Lahm identified the individualism in the French champions’ game. He said:

“PSG is not a team. The case of Kylian Mbappe is a story in itself. He undoubtedly has the qualities of a world-class player and dominates the National Championship. But his talent is not integrated with the rest of the team.

“In Munich, he just waited for the ball to get to his feet. I can't imagine how Mbappe's career can take on another dimension in Paris.”

The former Bayern Munich and Germany star added:

“PSG have the two players who rocked the planet in the World Cup final three months ago. Messi and Mbappe, plus Neymar, the best Brazilian of the last decade.

"Plus also Ramos, the former captain of Real Madrid and four-time winner of the Champions League, to which we must add two reigning European champions (Donnarumma and Verratti), but in the two duels against Bayern, nothing extraordinary happened.”

Lionel Messi was booed by some Parisian fans for his display against Bayern ahead of Saturday’s (March 18) 2-0 defeat to Rennes at the Parc des Princes. Mbappe, however, was spared by the home supporters.