UCL: He Disappeared – Messi Under Fire After PSG’s Elimination From Champions League

Jerome Rothen, a former Paris Saint-Germain forward, has slammed Lionel Messi.

He ripped into Messi following the Argentina captain’s poor display in the Parisians’ UEFA Champions League 2-0 defeat against Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Germany.

PSG lost against Bayern Munich in Germany as the Bundesliga champions qualified for the quarter-final stage on a 3-0 aggregate win, having won the round of 16 first-leg 1-0 in Paris last month.

During Wednesday’s encounter, Messi failed to lead PSG to victory as goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry gave Bayern Munich the victory over the Parisians in the Champions League last-16 second-leg tie.

However, Rothen was not pleased with Messi’s performance against the Bavarians, insisting that the former Barcelona captain disappeared during the match.

“Messi, we don’t want it!” Rothen said on the French radio station RMC.

“He doesn’t want to get involved in this club! He says he is ‘acclimatized’ now, but what are you acclimatized to?! You scored 18 goals or 16 assists this year against Angers and Clermont? But in the matches that matter, you disappear!”

He added, “PSG fell at his feet because they thought Messi was going to make us win [the UEFA Champions League]. But he doesn’t win us anything.”