{"id":71159,"date":"2021-08-15T15:01:06","date_gmt":"2021-08-15T15:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=71159"},"modified":"2021-08-15T15:01:06","modified_gmt":"2021-08-15T15:01:06","slug":"messi-gets-rapturous-reception-before-watching-psg-beat-strasbourg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=71159","title":{"rendered":"Messi gets rapturous reception before watching PSG beat Strasbourg"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> Lionel Messi got a first proper taste of his new home on Saturday as he was presented to a full stadium of Paris Saint-Germain fans before watching his team-mates beat Strasbourg 4-2 in Ligue 1 with Kylian Mbappe playing a starring role.<\/p>\n

Messi received a rapturous reception as he ran out onto the pitch along with PSG's other summer signings, with a 48,000-full house greeting the six-time Ballon d'Or winner despite the welcome ceremony taking place an hour before kick-off.<\/p>\n

Messi joined fellow recruits Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi on a stage set up on the turf at the Parc des Princes, and the flashy presentation ceremony threatened to overshadow the match itself.<\/p>\n

The Argentine later watched from the stands alongside Neymar and Angel di Maria — the trio not yet considered match-fit having enjoyed an extended break after playing at the Copa America — as Mauricio Pochettino's team made it two wins from two Ligue 1 matches this season.<\/p>\n

They led 3-0 at half-time thanks to goals by Mauro Icardi and Julian Draxler either side of a Ludovic Ajorque own goal, but Kevin Gameiro and Ajorque netted after the interval to bring the visitors back into the contest.<\/p>\n

However Pablo Sarabia made sure of the win late on after Strasbourg had been reduced to 10 men in the first match played before a full house at the Parc des Princes since before the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March last year.<\/p>\n

“With all that has been happening at the club, it was not easy to stay focused on the game,” Pochettino admitted to broadcaster Canal Plus.<\/p>\n

– Mbappe jeered before kick-off –<\/p>\n

Among the spectators here were Formula One driver Pierre Gasly, French former Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner and NBA star Evan Fournier.<\/p>\n

All wanted to get a glimpse of Messi, but the Argentine is not likely to make his Paris debut for another couple of weeks yet.<\/p>\n

While Messi is the new idol of the PSG support, those fans jeered when Mbappe's name was read out by the stadium announcer ahead of kick off.<\/p>\n

The France striker is in the spotlight with speculation that he will seek a move away from PSG before the transfer window shuts — he has so far refused to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n

“Kylian is focused on what he has to do here. He had a really good game and he needs to continue like that,” Pochettino added.<\/p>\n

Mbappe played a key part in PSG's victory, which looked a certainty from the moment Icardi headed in Abdou Diallo's cross in the third minute.<\/p>\n

The second goal arrived in the 25th minute when Mbappe's shot went in via a cruel deflection off the face of Ajorque, and two minutes later it was Mbappe's cross that was turned in at the back post by Draxler.<\/p>\n

– Humiliation for champions Lille –<\/p>\n

Nevertheless former PSG striker Gameiro pulled one back for Strasbourg with a well-taken header not long after half-time, and giant frontman Ajorque then scored with a header of his own to make it 3-2.<\/p>\n

Mbappe had come close in between those goals and PSG were sweating before their opponents had defender Alexander Djiku sent off nine minutes from time when a foul on Icardi earned him a second booking.<\/p>\n

PSG then secured a 4-2 win with four minutes left when Mbappe burst towards the byline and cut the ball back for substitute Sarabia to convert.<\/p>\n

Earlier Lille — who defied expectations to pip PSG to the title last season — suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at home to Nice, whose coach Christophe Galtier joined in the summer from the champions.<\/p>\n

Galtier oversaw Lille's remarkable title triumph in May but then ended his three-and-a-half-year association with the club and headed south to take charge of an ambitious Nice outfit owned by Ineos, the group chaired by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.<\/p>\n

Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg bagged a brace for Nice, his goals coming either side of a Hicham Boudaoui strike and a penalty converted by Amine Gouiri.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: Lionel Messi got a first proper taste of his new home on Saturday as he was presented to a full stadium of Paris Saint-Germain fans before watching his team-mates beat Strasbourg 4-2 in Ligue 1 with Kylian Mbappe playing a starring role. Messi received a rapturous reception as he ran out onto the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":71160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n