Paris Saint-Germain\u2019s surge-from-behind 3-1 win over AS Saint-\u00c9tienne encouragingly revealed the sizzling chemistry that\u2019s already brewing between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbapp\u00e9.<\/p>\n
34-year-old Messi was not only clinical, but ever the decisive playmaker, in providing the two assists on the two goals by his French strike-mate. Although he didn\u2019t manage to score himself, he was the accomplished facilitator for Mbapp\u00e9 and this outing shows Messi having his best Ligue 1 match for the Argentine.<\/p>\n
During a segment on T\u00e9l\u00e9foot <\/em>(via Paris Fans<\/em>),\u00a0French football pundit Bixente Lizarazu lauded the two players\u2019 scintillating performances from this past weekend, with the pundit also stating that Mbapp\u00e9 is showing definite progress in his game and no longer aiming to go one-on-one with rival defenders.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a real progression, especially this season in particular, even if he has already had exceptional periods. Maybe last year, he was a bit overemphasizing one-on-one, one-on-two dribbling. He was not selfless enough. There he is,\u201d Lizarazu said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw him with his center from the outside of the foot, his technical quality. It has a rich palette. He is consistently aggressive; you can tell he wants to win every time. He gets PSG out of a difficult situation in matches that are a little closed. He is a totally indispensable player at Paris Saint-Germain. Losing it would be an industrial disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n Lizarazu then elaborated on the adaptation he now sees coming from Messi and how his qualities as a creative playmaker are beginning to show clearly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are excessive with Messi. I think we shouldn\u2019t forget, even if it\u2019s Messi, that there is a period of adaptation. It takes at least six months. Messi is 20 years at Bar\u00e7a, a city, a club, habits, the game which was also centered on him. He\u2019s at a new club, he\u2019s got new partners, and he\u2019s been slow to get back to his best,\u201d Lizarazu said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think its adaptation needs to be done. And we have to find the best Messi. Against Saint-Etienne, we found his technical finesse and his qualities more as a passer than a scorer. That\u2019s what\u2019s missing today, even though he has scored five Champions League goals.\u201d<\/p>\n PSG are of course increasingly hopeful that the budding chemistry between these juggernauts at the Parc des Princes can carry over to next week\u2019s match against Real Madrid when the capital club travels to the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u Stadium with a 1-0 advantage heading hopefully into the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"