"Just asking the question shocks me" - French football pundit defends Lionel Messi and says he will 'help' PSG soon

Lionel Messi has been intensely criticized following PSG's 3-1 loss to Real Madrid which saw them crash out of the Champions League in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

French football pundit Pierre Bouby, however, has jumped to the Argentine's defense, insisting he should be given more time to reach the top of his game.

It goes without saying that Lionel Messi has been a mere shadow of himself since leaving Barcelona to join the Parisians last summer. The playmaker has recorded just seven goals to his name so far this season but Pierre Bouby has no doubts he can still bring a lot to the club.

“If he can still bring to PSG? Just asking the question shocks me," the Frenchman said during a session on L’Equipe de Greg (via Canal Supporters).

"You don’t realize what just happened in your head in 6 months; it’s a psychological shock.

"You don’t come out of 20 years in a club where everything is dedicated to him by leaving in this way in a club that lacks structure. What is happening at PSG is not normal at other clubs."

Pierre Bouby then proceeded to highlight a few factors that have hindered Lionel Messi's progress at PSG, tipping him to bounce back and help the club in the future.

The Frenchman said:

"He arrives in a context where for three months he only takes the plane to go back and forth with the national team, he catches the covid, he gets injured… I find that in the last three matches, we started to find Messi on his support, his dribbling.

"Maybe he’s not decisive, but at the same time, we don’t fit into a PSG team like that with almost only Mbappé, who holds Paris. You have to give him time, and I’m sure he’ll help Paris Saint-Germain."

Breaking down Lionel Messi's stats for PSG so far this season

Another European heartbreak for the Argentine

The Argentine has bagged seven goals and 11 assists for the Parisians across all competitions so far this season. That includes five goals in the Champions League, two league goals and 11 assists in Ligue 1.

According to Whoscored, the former Barcelona maestro has registered 2.7 key passes, three successful dribbles, and 3.8 shots for the Parisians per 90 minutes this term.

It remains to be seen if he'll raise his level of performance in the coming weeks.