After the repeated whistles of PSG fans against Lionel Messi, coach Christophe Galtier has defended the 35-year-old football world champion. The reaction of the fans was very harsh, said the coach of Paris Saint-Germain. "Leo is a player who gives us a lot."

Among the supporters of the athletically crisis-ridden French champion, however, obviously not everyone sees it that way. Even before Sunday's 0-1 defeat to Olympique Lyon at the Parc des Princes, Messi was booed at the presentation.

"Symbol of doom"

"Messi, the magic flies," headlined the newspaper "Le Parisien". Celebrated in Argentina, the seven-time world footballer makes the public shudder in the Parc des Princes, it was said with a view to the performance of the South American in the 0:1 against Lyon. "Symbol of doom," wrote L'Équipe, citing Messi's 26 ball losses as evidence: "His end of the season seems to be a long cloister."

And a future at PSG, which has only a six-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 and has already suffered eight defeats across all competitions this year alone, is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine beyond this season.

Messi's contract expires

Messi has still not commented on his future career plans. His contract with the Parisian star ensemble, which he was supposed to help win the Champions League for the first time, ends in the summer. The fans blame the elimination in the master class above all on him, in the second round Messi and his teammates had failed at FC Bayern.

Messi could transfer free of charge in the summer. FC Barcelona, whom he had to leave in tears almost two years ago after more than two decades because the highly indebted club lacked the financial resources, has already confirmed contact with the Messi camp for a possible return. An offer from Saudi Arabia and the massive interest from the American Major League Soccer are also rumored again and again.

"The whistles don't help," former professional Thierry Henry told French media on the sidelines of the Lyon game: "We're still talking about the best in the world." The former Messi team-mate therefore also wishes for a return of the Argentine to the former joint employer FC Barcelona.