Football fans at the Parc De Princess simply couldn't hide their vibrant emotions as Lionel Messi made his Paris Saint Germain debut but this time in front of a rather unfamiliar audience. The Argentine made his much-anticipated debut in Sunday's 2-0 win at Reims. PSG were two goals up by the time Messi was introduced as a 66th-minute substitute for former Barcelona team-mate Neymar, with Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe having netted twice as speculation continues to swirl over his own future.
Wearing the No.30, Messi was given an incredible reception by everyone in the stadium. He may not have scored but the six-time Ballon d’Or winner showed some nice touches and link-up as he began building relationships on the pitch with his new teammates. He was fouled several times but was prevented from having any shooting opportunities. He also completed 20 of his 21 attempted passes.
After the match, his new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, admitted that Messi will take a little while to get back to full match fitness. "He is still far away from his best form but he has been training well and he will be fit in the next two weeks. We are waiting for the best from him. I'm very happy that he made his debut. It was very important for him." Pochettino said. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner signed a two-year deal in the French capital on August 10 after ending a 21-year spell at Barca, but he had not played since winning the Copa America with Argentina on July 11.