There’s plenty more to come from Lionel Messi, asserts Cesc Fabregas
Fabregas issues warning over Messi
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Monaco midfielder and former Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas has proclaimed that it would be unwise to count Lionel Messi out as he could make his detractors eat their words in a second. Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain from boyhood club Barcelona on a free transfer in the summer.
Lionel Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in the previous summer as his boyhood club could not afford to keep the Argentina international in their books owing to their financial woes off the pitch. The seven-time Ballon d'Or award winner joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer as he looked to replicate his world-class performances from Spain in France.
However, the all-time great has made a slow start to life at Paris following a series of injuries and a bout with Covid-19 over the last few months. The 34-year-old also missed a crucial penalty in the French giant’s Champions League game against Real Madrid casting more doubts over his effectiveness at the French club.
PSG went on to win the game at the death courtesy of some Kylian Mbappe brilliance. Fabregas has defended his former teammate and issued a warning to critics who doubt Messi’s influence as he recounted a similar experience during their spell together at the Blaugrana.
"I have read things from people who must not have seen him play against Real Madrid. Without being stellar, he played a good game. He put Mbappe through on goal in the first half with a pass that none of the other 21 players could've pulled off. He missed a penalty. So what? Judging him for that seems ridiculous to me. I remember Luis Enrique's first year [as Barcelona coach] in which was criticized a lot. There was a crisis around that. Then Barcelona won the treble. Now, something similar can happen,” Fabregas told Mundo Deportivo.
"I understand that stories have to be sold, but we are talking about a player who can make you eat your words in a second. With Messi, you always have to be careful, just in case. There's plenty more to come," he added.
