Lionel Messi will miss Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 trip to Monaco today with a hamstring injury, raising concerns that he may not be fit in time for his team’s Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich next week.
PSG confirmed yesterday that the Argentine World Cup winner had suffered the injury in the club’s 2-1 defeat against Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday and would continue to undergo treatment over the next 48 hours. They added that Messi would return to training on Monday, the eve of the last-16 first leg against Bayern in Paris.
PSG coach Christophe Galtier played down concerns that the 35-year-old may not be ready in time for that huge game. “Leo will not be available for the match against Monaco but he will be back in training on Monday so you can forget about him being a doubt,” Galtier told reporters. “We know the importance of Leo to the way we play. With his absence we will maybe need to play in a different way, make sure we have a more compact and solid spine. Obviously when you go to Monaco without Leo it is unfortunate but that is just part of what happens in a season.”
The French champions are already without Kylian Mbappe for the meeting with Monaco and the Bayern first leg as he recovers from a thigh injury and they have several other players on the sidelines too. Yesterday, they announced that playmaker Marco Verratti would also not travel to Monaco as he requires treatment for discomfort around his left hip. However, Galtier confirmed Achraf Hakimi has overcome a hamstring problem and would be available. PSG are eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 before their meeting with fourth-placed Monaco in the principality.
PSG have struggled to rediscover their best form since the World Cup, losing three times already in all competitions in 2023. “You think you have a balanced squad and then all of a sudden you get fatigue, suspensions, injuries. These injuries often happen when you have a lot of matches,” Galtier added. “Without looking for excuses there was also the World Cup in the middle of the season which means lots of players are tired.”
In midweek they were sent packing from the French Cup in the last 16, losing 2-1 away to their greatest rivals Marseille.
Without Mbappe, PSG were outfought by Marseille, incapable of competing with their opponents’ physicality and intense pressing game. Defeat would be no disaster in terms of their prospects of retaining the league title, but their display will be closely scrutinised with the Bayern tie in mind.
Galtier has multiple problems, Neymar has been in poor form since the World Cup and it is far from certain that Messi can carry PSG’s attack alone.
In defence they are overly reliant on Sergio Ramos, creaking at 36 but needed to play almost every game this season because of a long-term injury to fellow centre-back Presnel Kimpembe.
In Marseille, Ramos gave away the penalty from which the hosts went ahead although he did later score the equaliser. Above all they have serious problems in midfield, an area that has arguably been their achilles heel ever since Blaise Matuidi left in 2017 and Thiago Motta followed a year later. Spanish duo Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler have not settled, Vitinha’s form has dipped and Renato Sanches has struggled to stay fit. Again they are overly reliant on one player, Verratti, who has had issues with his own fitness.

Messi, Mbappe and Benzema nominated for FIFA award
Zurich: World Cup winner Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema were announced yesterday as the three finalists for FIFA’s The Best award for last year. Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas of Spain, England forward Beth Mead and US star Alex Morgan were nominated for the top women’s prize.
Paris Saint-Germain teammates Messi and Mbappe are competing along with Benzema to succeed Robert Lewandowski, winner of the FIFA award in 2020 and 2021.
Benzema won last year’s Ballon d’Or for his performances with Real Madrid but missed the World Cup because of injury.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Putellas won the women’s award last time and is nominated again despite being out since July after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
The winners will be revealed on February 27 in Paris. They will be voted for by a jury made up of national team coaches and captains as well as journalists and fans. There are also prizes for the best male and female coach, the best goalkeeper, and the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2022.