The
Argentina
international
sustained
the
problem
during
PSG’s
late
2-1
win
against
Lyon
on
Sunday
as
they
made
it
six
wins
from
six
to
begin
their
new
league
campaign.

Messi
made
his
home
debut
in
that
match
but
was
substituted
off
with
the
scores
level,
meaning
he
has
yet
to
score
in
three
appearances
since
joining
from
Barcelona
last
month.

PSG
will
not
have
Messi
in
their
squad
to
face
Metz
at
Stade
Saint-Symphorien,
with
that
game
coming
six
days
before
a
Champions
League
trip
to
Guardiola’s
Manchester
City.

The
French
giants
confirmed
the
injury
blow
in
an
injury
update
posted
on
their
official
website
on
Tuesday.

“Messi,
following
the
blow
received
on
his
left
knee,
underwent
an
MRI
which
confirms
the
signs
of
bone
contusion,”
the
update
read.
“A
new
test
will
be
carried
out
in
48
hours.”

PSG
also
confirmed
that
Marco
Verratti
returned
to
training
on
Tuesday,
while
Sergio
Ramos
–
yet
to
feature
since
joining
from
Real
Madrid
–
is
continuing
to
train
individually.

Pochettino’s
decision
to
bring
on
Achraf
Hakimi
for
Messi
with
his
side
chasing
a
goal
against
Lyon
dominated
all
the
talk
after
last
weekend’s
contest.

Messi
was
involved
in
six
shots
(four
attempts,
two
chances
created)
–
only
Kylian
Mbappe
against
Clermont
(seven)
has
managed
better
in
a
league
game
for
PSG
this
term.

Pochettino
insisted
there
were
“no
issues”
with
Messi
when
speaking
after
the
game
and
has
once
again
defended
his
decision
to
bring
off
the
six-time
Ballon
d’Or
winner.

“I
understand
the
situation
and
accept
it
as
it
is,”
Pochettino
said
at
a
news
conference
on
Tuesday
previewing
the
clash
with
Metz.

“The
priority
is
always
the
players
and
their
well-being.
We
thought
the
best
decision
was
to
take
him
off.
But
of
course,
all
champions
want
to
be
on
the
pitch
all
the
time.”

Asked
to
elaborate
on
Messi’s
injury,
Pochettino
said:
“The
club
have
already
communicated
that.
During
the
match
we
saw
he
was
checking
his
knee
after
being
struck.

“When
we
saw
that
we
made
a
decision.
We
were
happy
with
his
performance
and
I
am
happy
with
his
commitment.
He
didn’t
score
but
was
otherwise
very
good.”

.@NavasKeylor
working
hard

pic.twitter.com/vRXMyza3MD

—
Paris
Saint-Germain
(@PSG_English)

September
21,
2021

Mbappe
had
a
quiet
game
against
Lyon
before
assisting
Mauro
Icardi’s
late
winner
as
he
touched
the
ball
just
five
times
in
the
opposition
box
and
failed
to
get
a
shot
on
target.

The
Frenchman
spearheaded
a
4-2-3-1
formation
that
also
included
Messi,
Neymar
and
Angel
Di
Maria
in
attack
and
Pochettino
insists
it
will
take
time
for
system
to
work.

“We
have
to
create
these
connections
in
training
over
time,
not
just
in
matches,”
Pochettino
said.
“We
used
a
4-2-3-1
against
Lyon
and
that’s
not
the
same
as
we’ve
used
before.

“That’s
why
I
was
happy
with
the
team’s
performance.
We
were
also
organised
in
defence
and
recovered
balls
high
up
the
pitch.

“Leo,
Neymar
and
Di
Maria
know
each
other
well
and
have
already
built
a
connection.
Now
we
have
to
integrate
Kylian
into
the
side
and
that
will
take
a
while.”

Mbappe
is
expected
to
start
against
Metz
on
Wednesday,
an
opponent
he
has
either
scored
or
assisted
against
in
all
five
previous
Ligue
1
encounters.

PSG
also
have
a
great
record
against
Metz,
having
defeated
them
in
10
successive
league
fixtures
in
a
run
stretching
back
to
August
2007.