In his comeback to the Parc des Princes, Lionel Messi was included in the starting lineup by Christophe Galtier for PSG’s 5-0 victory against AC Ajaccio in a Ligue 1 match. However, the Argentine superstar faced some jeers from a section of the crowd after being suspended for his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia, leaving fans divided on his return.
As the PSG players’ names were announced before the game, Messi’s name was met with boos from a portion of the Parc des Princes crowd, which was notably missing its ultras due to an ongoing fracture with the club. The 2022 World Cup winner faced further jeers throughout the match, but also encouragement from other sections of the stadium.
Following the match, Christophe Galtier addressed the situation surrounding Messi, stating in his post-match conference that “There were some boos directed at Leo at the beginning of the match when he touched the ball. However, very quickly, a large portion of the stadium drowned out those jeers with applause and encouragement.”
“What I take away from it is that Leo remained focused and engaged in the game, with the desire to lead the team offensively and create opportunities,” added Galtier. “He is accustomed to these situations as his career has exposed him to difficult moments.”
Meanwhile, PSG midfielder Renato Sanches expressed his thoughts on the matter in the mixed zone, saying, “It’s a bit of a weird situation. It’s hard for Messi, for the team, and for the club.”
In Saturday night’s match, PSG cruised to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Ajaccio at the Parc des Princes. The win brought them closer to securing the Ligue 1 title, and condemned the Corsican side to relegation.
GFFN | George Boxall
