Lionel Messi made a return to Paris Saint Germain as Kylian Mbappe scored twice while Achraf Hakimi was sent off again.
PSG had their best performance in weeks, with Kylian Mbappe guiding the Parisians to a commanding 5-0 win against Ajaccio, but it wasn’t without drama.
The game got off to a good start for PSG with the first goal scored in the 22nd minute. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz carved through the middle of the opposition to score a brilliant solo goal with a cool finish. The lead was then doubled in the 33rd minute when Achraf Hakimi scored. Mbappe had a shot saved by the goalkeeper but luckily Hakimi was there to find the ball and score.
PSG scored their third goal right after halftime. This time it was star player Kylian Mbappe who scored after some scrabbling in the box. He scored his second goal in the 54th minute after a brilliant volley from a Sergio Ramos cross. An own goal from Ajaccio’s defender Mohamed Youssouf ended the game 5-0.
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The game was still embroiled in drama as a huge scuffle broke out in the 77th minute. It happened when Lionel Messi was kicked by Ajaccio players and PSG players came to defend him. Both Achraf Hakimi and Ajaccio defender Thomas Mangani were sent off after both shoved each other. It was Hakimi’s second red card in recent times as he was sent off in the game against Lorient as well. The game then ended 5-0, with no other notable events.
Mbappe’s brace meant that he now has 26 goals this season making him the Ligue 1 top scorer.
Lionel Messi is back in PSG’s squad
Lionel Messi was back in the starting eleven after serving his two-week suspension. The Argentine was suspended for two weeks after he missed a training session while doing a promotional advertisement in Saudi Arabia. The player has since apologized in a video and was back in training. It was his first match since the defeat against Lorient.
While Messi wasn’t much impactful in the match, he still did some of his usual feints and dribbles as he played the whole 90 minutes. However, the Argentine’s return to the squad was met negatively by the fans. Fans booed him all game as he does look set to finally leave the French capital in the summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, he has a 400 million euro offer from Saudi club Al Hilal, but he is waiting for Barcelona to make an offer for him.
The victory means that PSG now leads Ligue 1 with 6 points ahead of second-placed Lens. They are now just 4 points away from claiming a record 11th league title. Meanwhile, Ajaccio was relegated from Ligue 1 as a result of the defeat. With three games remaining, PSG is all but cruising to the title. PSG next face Auxerre on May 22.
