PSG superstar Lionel Messi statistically ranked as third-best player in Europe this season

PSG superstar Lionel Messi has been far from his usual level this season, bagging just nine goals for the Parisians across competitions so far. That, however, did not seem to matter much to football statistics website Whoscored, which has ranked the Argentine as the third-best player in Europe this campaign.

The list, published by the website, takes into account stats from league games such as goals, assists, clean sheets, pass success percentage and Man-of-the-Match performances.

Messi surprisingly ranked higher than anyone would have expected, sitting comfortably in the third spot with an average match rating of 7.71 out of ten. Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski sits at the pinnacle of the rankings with an average match rating of 7.93. Kylian Mbappe follows closely with a 7.91 rating.

Another astonishing thing about the list is the position of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. The Frenchman, who has been tipped by many to win the Ballon d'Or award this year, is joint-fourth, alongside Mohamed Salah, another Ballon d'Or contender. with a 7.68 average match rating.

Joshua Kimmich (7.63), Christopher Nkunku (7.62), Ousmane Dembele (7.60), Neymar (7.59) and Erling Haaland (7.56) take up the spots from six to ten respectively.

Lionel Messi's eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United was nowhere on the list despite scoring 13 more goals than the Argentine this season. Similarly, the likes of Sadio Mane, Kevin De Bruyne and Ciro Immobile, who have all impressed with their respective clubs, are conspicuous by their absence.

Other notable exclusions include Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic and Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick.

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Lionel Messi's debut campaign with PSG thus far

The Argentine has endured a difficult start to life at PSG.

The Argentine completed a sensational switch to PSG after parting ways with Barcelona last summer. Unfortunately, his debut campaign with the Parisians has left many disappointed, with the attacker struggling to create his usual spark in front of goal.

So far, Messi has bagged a paltry nine goals and 13 assists for the Ligue 1 giants in 30 appearances across competitions, giving critics a lot to talk about. However, it's worth noting that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has won the Ligue 1 title with the Parisians this term, despite scoring just four goals in the competition.