Lionel Messi Scores His First Goal For PSG Against Man City
From a player with no equals a first. Paris Saint-Germain had the moment they’d been waiting for, and one that Lionel Messi had been saving himself.
For 73 minutes of this group game against Manchester City, the Argentine had been doing his usual of playing in a staccato manner, conserving his energy. Of course it is all so he can convert it into something wholly unusual, such as this great first goal for Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi suddenly accelerated forward and left two defenders in his slipstream, picking up the ball just inside the City half. The ball was played to Kylian Mbappe for the forward to flick it back immediately and set up Messi to curl a soaring effort right into the top corner.
It was a moment of pure footballing beauty that made you momentarily forget some of the less pure elements of this contest. That is the point. It’s the best football that state money can buy.
It also puts PSG on top of the group after a 2-0 win and suddenly leaves City with a little more to do in this group, given Club Brugge continue to impress. Whether it is the best football on the continent is the biggest question of all, though.
Despite their common ground as state projects, Messi’s goal was another piece of individual brilliance that settled a game of contrasts. Both of these clubs could do with a little of what the other has.
PSG have so much individual quality but lacks incoherence. The city has so much coherence but suddenly looks like it lacks absolute top quality, unlike this PSG attack.
Kevin De Bruyne did not look thoroughly fit. Raheem Sterling did not look clinical. Jack Grealish did not yet look like he had adapted to the level.
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