Lionel Messi scored twice against Clermont and went down in history: he overtook Romario among the top scorers. Photo: REUTERS / Stephane Mahe.
Leone Messiwith a brace and, above all, a bit spectacular from the overhead kick, and Neymar, with one goal and three assists, were the absolute protagonists of Paris Saint-Germain in the 5-0 win at Clermont, this Saturday on matchday one of the French Ligue 1.
In the absence of Kylian Mbappé due to injury, the two South American stars they shone from start to finish in the victory of a PSG that intends to return to Ligue 1 champions.
Messi sealed the victory with a goal to remember, controlling a long pass from his Argentine countryman head on Leandro Paredes and ending with his back to the goal, to put the final 5-0 in the 86th minute.
It was the first Chilean goal of his career and allowed him to reach it Romario among the best scorers in the history of football, with 772 goals. Above them is only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 815.
Messi ended the win with a bicycle kick, the first time he scored a goal in this way. Photo: REUTERS / Stephane Mahe.
Shortly before his great goal, in the 80th minute, Messi had scored his first goal of the match and of this Ligue 1 by gently pushing a pass offered almost as a gift by Neymar.
Third assist of the match for the Brazilian, who scored his first goal in this league with his team in the 9th minute, finishing after Messi missed a cross from Messi. paolo sarabia.
Neymar then gave the decisive pass so that his Moroccan teammate Achraf Hakimi (on 26 ‘) beat the local goalkeeper, with a powerful shot into the area directly in the upper corner, and then hanging a ball that Sergio Ramos did not come recently but that also the Brazilian Marquinhos (38 ‘) header hits goalkeeper Mory Diaw’s goal.
With a three-goal lead at half-time, the second half was very quiet for PSG, who sealed the victory with Messi’s brace in the final minutes, which made the Argentinian smile. at the start of his second season with the French team.
In praise of Galtier
“When Messi smiles, the team smiles too”, celebrated the new PSG coach. Christophe Galtier.
“I liked his goal,” said Galtier with a smile. And he added: “I’m not surprised, Leo has been playing at the highest level for 17 years. He has had a difficult season, in which he had to acclimatize, change his life, but in previous years he was at least 30 goals per season .. He has done a complete preparation, he already knows the club and his teammates, there is no reason why Leo does not have a great season“, he trusted.
Galtier praised the Argentine and recounted a speech he had during the tour in Asia that the Parisian club held in July.
“I spoke with Leo during our time in Japan and also with the defensive sector to make sure he can always do well. Messi has a very acute, very clear tactical sense. in an area he likes, he likes to play with the players around him. When Leo smiles, the team smiles too“, Completed the former Nice.
Paris Saint-Germain, champions of Ligue 1 last season, thus become leaders from the start thanks to a better goal difference.
Christophe Galtier has the goal of forming a team for his roster of stars. Photo: Jean-Philippe KSIAZEK / AFP.
The two official matches played by the team at the beginning of the season resulted in overwhelming victories and without conceding a goal, as the previous one was 4-0 against Nantes last weekend in the Champions Trophy (Supercopa de France).
In that game against Nantes, played in Tel Aviv, Kylian Mbappé was not present due to suspension and the French champion did not play this Saturday in Auvergne due to a hamstring problem.
Christophe Galtier’s stage as PSG coach, where he replaced Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino, is going by in absolute calm right now.
Clermont was seventeenth last season and seems called upon to fight for permanence this season.
In the other match on Saturday, Monaco won 2-1 in Strasbourg.
Source: Clarin
