Lionel Messi set to leave PSG: Decoding his stats
Paris Saint-Germain had already secured the 2022-23 Ligue 1 title but they ended their season with a 3-2 defeat against Clermont Foot. Sergio Ramos and Kylian Mbappe scored for the hosts, but it was not enough as Johan Gastien, Mehdi Zeffane, and Grejohn Kyei turned up for Clermont. This was also Lionel Messi's last match for the Paris-based club. Here's more.
75 appearances, 32 goals, and 34 assists for Messi
Messi joined PSG in 2021 on a free transfer. He was a dream signing for PSG who thought pairing him up with Mbappe and Neymar would help them win the Champions League. He featured in 34 appearances in the 2021-22 season, slamming 11 goals and 14 assists across competitions. In the 2022-23 season, he netted 21 goals and provided 20 assists across all competitions.
Highest assist provider in Ligue 1
Messi might not have made his mark for PSG in his debut season in France, but he proved his mettle in this campaign with some stellar displays. He finished the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season as the highest assist provider. He provided 16 assists in 32 league appearances and had five more assists than the second-placed Jordan Clauss and Neymar (11).
Messi scripted this assist record
The Argentine sensation topped the Ligue 1 assists charts for the 2022-23 season. However, only Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne matched his record of 16 assists this season in the Premier League. No other player in the top five European leagues had more assists.
Messi also broke these records
The Argentine, who won the World Cup last year, notched 30 assists for PSG in the Ligue 1 since the 2021-22 season. This is the highest tally for any player in the top five European leagues. Messi is the only player in the top five European leagues to muster 15-plus goals and 15-plus assists this season (16 goals, 16 assists).
PSG scripted this unfortunate record at home
This was the first time since February 1996 that PSG lost at home in the Ligue 1 after being 2-0 up. They lost that match against Marseille and the scoreline was 3-2 back then as well. Notably, this is the second time Clermont Foot have won a game after trailing 2-0. Their first turnaround happened last year against Reims when they won 4-2.
PSG's poor defensive record at home in Ligue 1
PSG finished their 2022-23 Ligue 1 season have shipped 24 goals at home in Ligue 1. This is their highest tally of goals conceded at the Parc des Princes in a single season in the top flight since the 1984-85 season. The French champions scored the most goals in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 (89) but they conceded 40 goals in total.
How did the match pan out?
Ramos broke the deadlock for PSG in the 16th minute, while Mbappe scored from the spot to double the lead. However, goals from Gastien and Zeffane right at the stroke of half-time spiced up the game. Messi did have a couple of chances but unfortunately slammed them wide. However, it was Kyei who turned clutch and handed Clermont a famous win in Paris.
Messi won the Ligue 1 title twice with PSG
Although Messi could not make a very strong impact for PSG in his first season, he did bag the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title with the Parisians. His second season was much better as he won the French Super Cup and Ligue 1 honor.
