PARIS —
Lionel Messi was awarded a record-extending
seventh Ballon d'Or on Monday, but for the first time in his illustrious
career, there was a mixed reaction to his success.
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The Argentinian great has made a slow start to life in
France after a turbulent year which saw him bid a tearful farewell to Barcelona
and join Paris Saint-Germain.
But there have been sparks of life in recent weeks, with his
first Ligue 1 goal followed by three assists in
PSG's 3-1 win at Saint-Etienne
on Sunday.
Messi admitted his latest Ballon d'Or win was largely down
to leading his country to a major international title for the first time in the
Copa America, although he did also finish as La Liga top-scorer last season in
a weak Barcelona team which has since stumbled from crisis to crisis.
After scoring just four goals in 11 appearances this term
for PSG, the 34-year-old will need an upturn in fortunes to be named the
world's best player again next year.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was among the leading
football figures to express surprise that Messi beat
Bayern Munich striker
Robert Lewandowski to the prize.
But PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was in no doubt that his
player deserved to become the first from the French side to win the Ballon
d'Or, despite failing to fully fire for the capital club.
"He totally deserves the Ballon d'Or. There is no
debate on this subject," Pochettino insisted ahead of PSG's game against
high-flying Nice on Wednesday.
"I can understand that in other countries some do not
agree, but I think he deserved it.
"We also hope that it is the first day of the makings
of what can become an eighth Ballon d'Or. We are all delighted to have Messi
here."
Messi, along with midfielder Leandro Paredes, did not train
on Tuesday due to illness, but he will want to be fit to face third-placed
Nice, especially with Neymar sidelined for up to eight weeks by an ankle
injury.
PSG are already 12 points clear of second-placed Rennes in
the French top flight, despite a series of underwhelming performances this
season after a raft of high-profile signings.
Messi, Neymar and
Kylian Mbappe have scored only 11 times in
31 league appearances between them.
They will need to improve to make a mark in the Champions
League, where they had to settle for second in their group behind Manchester
City.
Nice, bankrolled by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's
Ineos, will be no pushovers this week though, despite a shock home loss to
lowly Metz last weekend.
Player to watch: Amine Gouiri
Nice forward Gouiri enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last
season with 12 Ligue 1 goals and has continued to go from strength to strength
this term.
The 21-year-old already has eight goals and has been a key
player in Nice's impressive start under coach Christophe Galtier, who led Lille
to the title earlier this year.
Gouiri will be hoping to make a mark when he lines up
against some of the world's best players at the Parc des Princes.
Key stats
4: Messi failed to muster a goal or assist in his first five
Ligue 1 matches. He has four in two games since (one goal, three assists).
4: Brest were in the drop zone after failing to win any of
their first 11 games. They have won their last four.
12: Years since Nice beat PSG at the Parc des Princes.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Wednesday
Angers vs Monaco, Brest vs Saint-Etienne, Metz vs Montpellier,
Strasbourg vs Bordeaux, Troyes vs Lorient (all 1800), Clermont vs Lens, Lyon vs Reims, Nantes vs Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain vs Nice, Rennes vs Lille (all
2000)
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