Lionel Messi didn’t have a great game in Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-3 comeback win over Lille OSC on Sunday at the Parc des Princes.
However, the 35-year-old did play the hero in stoppage time late and scored the eventual game-winning goal off a free kick. Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier revealed details on his end that resulted in Messi finding the back of the net.
After Kylian Mbappe tied the contest 3-3, Messi generated a foul near Lille’s goal, which was within the veteran’s distance. Then, he adjusted a left-footed shot near the left post of the goal defended by Chevalier.
“It is 18 meters away, right in the center,” Chevalier told Le Parisien (h/t TyC Sports). “I wonder if I should close my open side or if I should get in the center so I can get out if he breaks through the barrier. I ask for five players. Benjamin André tells me to put up the barrier on his left side.
“He masked his shot while shooting, closes his foot at the last moment, goes through the mess of players, falls again… Maybe my positioning should have been more near my post. After that, it’s Messi, eh.
“If you want to score on that side, you have to put it like this. It fits perfectly. If [Messi] doesn’t put it in exactly like that, I think I would have stayed with [the ball].”
Messi’s goal capped off a rollercoaster of a match that saw PSG go up 2-0 in the first half. However, Lille would fight back and score three unanswered goals for a 3-2 lead. As the anxiety of a potential four-match losing streak set in, the PSG stars stepped up to pull a win when it seemed like a loss was imminent.
