Paris Saint-Germain have been warned that their plan to win the Champions League has not been solved by Lionel Messi's high-profile summer transfer from Barcelona.
The Argentine superstar has failed to find his best form for PSG since his switch and has found the net just once in Ligue 1 this season.
Messi did bag five goals in the Champions League group stage as Mauricio Pochettino’s side breezed through to the Round of 16, but performances in Europe and domestically have continued to underwhelm.
Les Parisiens have never won Europe’s premier club competition and their final appearance in 2020 under former boss Thomas Tuchel was the only time they advanced beyond the semi-final stage.
There have been reports claiming that not only has Messi’s arrival failed to ignite PSG on the pitch but has caused friction off it, with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar no longer as close as they were in previous years.
Have Your Say! Will Leo Messi lead PSG to Champions League glory? Tell us what you think here.
Former France international Patrice Evra has played in multiple Champions League finals across his stints with Monaco, Manchester United and Juventus – but does not believe PSG are currently capable of emulating that achievement.
The former left-back has claimed that the signing of Messi has not brought Pochettino’s side any closer to European glory and has critiqued what is still holding them back from success.
Evra on Messi: "They signed Messi, but it is not him who will win them the European Cup.
“It's the collective, it's a state of mind. Winning it is complicated.
“And I know what I'm talking about with five finals played and having lost four of them.”
Evra did not hold back criticism of Messi’s teammate Kylian Mbappe, who has been the standout player for PSG this campaign.
The 23-year-old has bagged 18 goals in 26 appearances this term – his attacking output far exceeding that of his fellow attacking teammates Messi and Neymar.
However, Evra has expressed concern on Mbappe’s priorities and also is not impressed by the way the striker comes across in his interviews.
Evra continued on Mbappe: “He has a good education but I would love to see Kylian slip away a bit from the script, I find him a bit too programmed.
“I love him, but he is too clean and its like he is hiding something.
“When I hear him speak, I have the impression of hearing a politician.
“On the pitch, I hope he thinks about the team and not about his personal goals. Because the star is the team, not just a player."
PSG have been pitted against Real Madrid in the Round of 16 in the Champions League – a match that could go a long way into defining their season.
Pochettino’s side hold an 11-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 but failure to secure success in Europe would see the campaign once again be viewed as an underachievement.
