Fabian Ruiz set up Lionel Messi to score with a deft finish in the 72nd minute (the Argentine’s 14th club goal of the season), as Paris Saint-Germain extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win at Montpellier on Wednesday.
What a Goal by the World Champion Lionel Messi. š„š pic.twitter.com/yPJmqUgZda
ā x3a6y š¦šŖ (@x3a6y) February 1, 2023
Messi now has 14 goals and 14 assists in 23 goals for Paris Saint-Germain this season in all competitions.
However, their evening was overshadowed by an injury to Kylian Mbappe, who missed a penalty, retook it again and then missed a rebound from six yards.
Midway through the first half, Mbappe then hobbled off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, increasing concern for PSG given the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 match against Bayern Munich is now less than two weeks away.
Speaking after the game, coach Christophe Galtier suggested the injury was down to a knock rather than a muscle problem.
“He took a knock to the back of the knee or the back of the thigh, so we’ll see,” said Galtier.
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“I’m not too worried,” he added. “It’s a bruise or a contusion, we don’t know yet.
“With the run of matches we don’t want to take risks with a very busy fixture list, but it doesn’t appear that serious.”
PSG host Bayern in Paris on February 14, with the second leg in Germany on March 8. They are desperate to avoid a repeat of last season when they were knocked out at the same stage of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
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