Lionel Messi’s career at Paris Saint-Germain has stalled again, with the striker missing Sunday’s game against Monaco due to illness.
The Argentine was absent from Saturday’s training sessions due to the flu, and PSG have confirmed he is out of their plans for the game.
PSG started the weekend with a 15-point lead over closest rivals Marseille and Nice at the top of Ligue 1, meaning Messi remains on track to win a major trophy in his debut season. at the Parc des Princes.
However, the former Barcelona captain, who scored a record 672 goals for the Catalan giants, is struggling to make the impact he would have liked in the French capital.
He has only two Ligue 1 goals in 18 games so far, despite providing 10 assists and hitting the woodwork eight times in the competition. Injuries and illness have hampered Messi’s progress, and PSG are now hoping his latest absence will be short-lived.
Without Messi, PSG still have a substantial attacking threat. Kylian Mbappé, who started his career at Monaco, scored nine goals in eight games against his former employer in Ligue 1, scoring more than against Dijon (11).
In fact, Mbappe has scored PSG’s last five goals against Monaco in the competition.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino is set to take charge of his 50th game as a Ligue 1 manager. He is averaging 2.29 points per game in the French top flight.
Only his two predecessors at PSG, Unai Emery and Thomas Tuchel, have the best points-per-game record in league history (based on a three-point win) – both at 2.37 points per game.