Only Lionel Messi scores a goal that can sink Man City and finally declares himself at PSG

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The first of the player is not equal.

PSG experienced the moment they were waiting for, for which Lionel Messi was saving himself.

For 73 minutes of this team match against Manchester City, the Argentine was playing as usual in a choppy fashion, keeping his energy up. All this, of course, so that he can turn it into something completely extraordinary, such as this amazing first goal for Paris Saint-Germain. Receiving the ball inside the City half, Messi suddenly sped forward and left two defenders in the stream. The ball was played to Kylian Mbappe for the striker to immediately push it back, and Messi poses to raise a high effort into the top corner. It was a moment of pure football beauty that made you momentarily forget about some of the less pure elements of this competition. Obviously, that’s kind of the point. It is the best football that state money can buy.

It also puts PSG top of the group with a 2-0 win, and suddenly leaves City with more work to do in this group, as Club Brugge continues to impress.

Whether it is the best football on the continent is the biggest question of all.

Messi’s goal was truly another piece of individual brilliance that settled the game of contrasts, despite their common ground as state projects.

Each of these two clubs can do with a little more than the other has.

PSG has great individual quality but lacks consistency. City have a lot of consistency but suddenly seem to be lacking in absolute quality, at least unlike PSG’s attack.

Kevin De Bruyne didn’t look quite fit. Raheem Sterling’s appearance was not clinical. Jack Grealish has yet to appear to have adapted to the level.

This will, of course, lead to the recurring debate over whether City should sign a striker. Pep Guardiola is right that the results will determine the good or bad decision, but we won’t know either for sure until the end of the season.

Here, it looked like it might cost them for a team with that kind of quality.

How could they do with someone who does at least what Messi does to put more pressure on a somewhat erratic defensive structure at PSG.

The opening goal reflected many elements of the home team’s performance. For example, Mbappe and Messi were more related to each other than he was to Neymar. The Argentine played with Mbappe for the young striker to exchange passes with Achraf Hakimi. It was very clean, and of that class. It didn’t quite fit, however, as Neymar failed to make proper contact with Mbappe’s ball despite the goal gap.

Idris Guy however was on hand to shoot the ball into the roof of the net.

There was a bit of symbolism there, with Gueye making a huge difference to PSG, filling in a lot of holes.

The softness in the front contrasts with the randomness in the back, as much of their defenses seem to involve desperate extensions or last-ditch interventions. Gueye at least makes it look a lot easier. This was particularly the case in one recovering case when he just raced past Riyad Mahrez and pulled the ball off him.

He’s one of the players who might actually make this project work. It’s still impossible not to notice the long stretches where the Three Stars basically stand or roam, while the rest of their team jogs around. It’s just the electricity when someone rides on the ball that undoubtedly makes everyone feel that it’s worth it. There have been more than a few moments like this, as well as instances where PSG has really indulged. Neymar tried to pass the ball over Mahrez’s head by lifting it between his ankles. Mbappe attempted a neat back heel to pass him.

You don’t get any of that with Messi. It’s still very simple, and it only took the touches it needed.

That comes from de facto common ground with Guardiola of course, and the systematic construction of City’s play was another contrast to PSG’s individual creativity.

There were extended lanes as City moved the ball to deflect the team’s defense from their position, but there weren’t many moments of real danger. Bernardo Silva somehow missed the goal but was at least offside, and Ruben Dias forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a fine save from a corner kick.

Meanwhile, Sterling was in one of those matches where there was everything in his game but the end product.

The opportunity at the start of the second half should have already passed.

Meanwhile, Grealish was disappointed, and far from the level of the attackers at the other end.

This was just a team game, which shouldn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things, but it was an indicator of what level of performance was needed when it really mattered.

Against it all, PSG – and especially this trio – were waiting moments to pounce; To show what this level of offensive play really is.

Messi did more than that, of course. He did something else only he could.

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