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'Abysmal': Lionel Messi in embarrassing moment in PSG home debut

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Lionel Messi (pictured left) gesturing at his coach and (pictured right refusing to shake the hand of his coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Lionel Messi (pictured left) was fuming after he was subbed off in the PSG match and refused to shake the hand of his coach Mauricio Pochettino (pictured right). (Images: Getty Images/Instagram)

Lionel Messi was involved in an awkward moment with his coach after he was subbed off in PSG's home win on the weekend.

Messi's fleeting start to his PSG career hasn't exactly gone to plan thus far having failed to score in three games, which included the latest win for his club at home to Lyon.

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But a moment between coach Mauricio Pochettino and the Argentine magician has fans wondering what is going on.

PSG defeated rivals Lyon 2-1 at the Parc des Princes, but Pochettino found the need to substitute Messi off in the 76th minute when the game was still in the balance.

Messi trudged off the field and appeared to snub Pochettino's attempt of a high-five in the process.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen looking back at his coach and shrugging after the substitution.

It's fair to say Messi has rarely been substituted throughout his illustrious career, other than for injury, and fans around the world couldn't help but speculate at the palpable tension between the pair.

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Following the match, Pochettino tried to downplay the incident to fans.

"Everyone knows we have great players in the squad... we must make decisions for the good of the team. Sometimes they lead to a positive result and sometimes not," Pochettino said.

"These are decisions we need to take. Sometimes it pleases people, or it doesn't.

"I asked him how he was, and he said he was fine."

Lyon, who made a stuttering start to the season, are ninth with eight points while Marseille moved up to second on 13 points from five games after a convincing 2-0 victory over Rennes.

Angers dropped to fourth after losing 4-1 at home to Nantes while Amine Gouiri missed a late penalty as fifth-placed Nice were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Monaco in a thrilling French Riviera derby.

Montpellier and Troyes drew 1-1, likewise Brest at Clermont while Reims and Lorient ended goalless.

Messi forced Anthony Lopes into a great save with a low crossed shot on 32 minutes after a clever backheel from Neymar.

Lionel Messi (pictured) during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) at Parc des Princes stadium on September 19, 2021 in Paris, France.
Lionel Messi (pictured) during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) at Parc des Princes stadium on September 19, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by John Berry/Getty Images) (John Berry via Getty Images)

Four minutes later, the Argentine's 25-metre curled free kick crashed onto the bar.

Lyon went ahead nine minutes into the second half when Karl Toko Ekambi played Paqueta through for the Brazilian to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It spurred PSG back into action and Neymar, who was closer to his best than in any other game this season, was brought down in the box.

The Brazil forward coolly slotted the ball past Lopes to convert the resulting penalty in the 66th minute.

The hosts then scored the winner when Icardi, who came on for Di Maria in the 82nd minute, found the back of the net.

with AAP

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