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PSG welcome Bordeaux to the Parc des Princes on Sunday with the Ligue 1 title race firmly in control. They lead second-placed Nice by 12 points and have a game in hand. However, the Parisians will look to get back to winning ways after consecutive defeats in the league and in Europe.
Meanwhile, Darren Bent believes Parisians attacker Lionel Messi doesn't want to be at the Parc des Princes. Elsewhere, sporting director Leonardo Araujo is tipped to leave the Parisians this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on 12th March 2022:
Lionel Messi doesn't want to be at PSG, says Darren Bent
Former Sunderland striker Darren Bent believes Lionel Messi doesn't want to be at PSG. The Argentinean has struggled to impress since joining the Parisians last summer. The 34-year-old was brought in with a lot of expectations.
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However, Messi has failed to fulfil the promise and is enduring an underwhelming campaign with the Ligue 1 giants. The Argentinean was a mere spectator as Real Madrid knocked his team out of the UEFA Champions League last week. Bent believes the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is not settled at the Parc des Princes.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the Englishman said that Messi might be wishing he was back with Barcelona.
“One or two nice touches, but I was expecting so much more from (Messi). What I will say about Messi is that he looks like Marcus Rashford at Man United. Rashford looks miserable at United, and Messi just looks like ‘I don’t want to be here’,” said Bent.
He continued:
“Maybe the smile on his face would come back (if he returned to Barcelona). I don’t think we’ll see the Messi we saw that was head and shoulders above everybody. But he just doesn’t look like he fits in at PSG. I bet he’s probably thinking ‘I wish I was back at Barca’,”.
Messi has scored just seven times in 25 appearances across competitions for the Parisians. That includes only two league strikes, with his other five goals coming in the UEFA Champions League. However, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner missed a penalty in his team's 1-0 home win over Madrid in the Round of 16 first leg.
Three weeks later, at the Bernabeu, he has largely anonymous. PSG conceded three goals in 17 second-half minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu to bow out of Europe on a whimper after leading 2-0 on aggregate with 29 minutes to go.
Leonardo set to leave Parisians this summer
PSG sporting director Leonardo is likely to leave the Parc des Princes this summer, according to AS.
Club president Nasser Al Khelaifi is unimpressed by the Brazilian and is planning to let him leave. Al Khelaifi is particularly irked by the poor showing of many players signed by Leonardo and believes a change is the only way forward.
The Parisians have identified Tottenham Hotspur director of football Fabio Paratici as the ideal man to galvanise the club.
The Ligue 1 giants want to win their first UEFA Champions League trophy and are convinced the Italian could help them accomplish that. However, Paratici only joined Spurs last summer and is currently engaged in a rebuilding exercise with Antonio Conte. As such, prising him away won't be any walk in the park.
Nicolas Anelka slams Ligue 1 giants after Real Madrid defeat
Former PSG striker Nicolas Anelka has criticised the Parisians after their defeat to Real Madrid in midweek. The Ligue 1 giants failed to progress beyond the Champions League Round of 16, ending their hopes of securing the coveted trophy this season.
Speaking to Le Parisien, Anelka said that his former club lacked the mental strength to navigate crunch ties.
“PSG were well above in the first leg and then for almost the entire return. Having so many chances on the pitch in Madrid gave me the impression that it was going to end 3-0 for Paris. Their qualification was obvious. Then there was an incomprehensible 15-minute slump,” said Anelka.
He continued:
“This shipwreck can only be explained by the traumas of the past, such as the eliminations in Barcelona or against Manchester United. There are no other possible explanations. Mentally, the Parisians weren’t strong when a problem arose. It’s terrible, but this mental fragility is part of their identity."
PSG are all set to win their eighth title in ten years this summer.
