Karim Benzema gives honest opinion on Lionel Messi's start at PSG

The Real Madrid star backed the Argentine icon, insisting he needs time to adapt to his new team.

Lionel Messi left Barcelona after 21 years to join Paris Saint-Germain last summer. However, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to regain his top form at Parc des Princes.

Despite his brilliant performances in the Champions League, Messi is yet to truly take off at his new club. In his 11 Ligue 1 appearances, the PSG star has scored only once. However, it will be unfair to talk about Messi’s stats without mentioning some of the setbacks he has faced recently.

Messi started the season after a very short pre-season, with a string of injuries also slowing down his start at the club. The Argentine also suffered a COVID-19 infection, which sidelined him for the first three games after the winter break.

In a new interview, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has spoken about Messi’s start at PSG.

Lionel Messi really called Jamie Carragher 'a donkey' 😅 pic.twitter.com/smCnj9lESQ
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 22, 2022

Asked whether he thinks the former Barcelona star will succeed at PSG, Benzema told Telefoot: “How won’t he succeed?

“It is just a period of adaptation, because he is not scoring a lot of goals. But watch what he does on the pitch.

“In any case you can’t criticise a player like that. In fact, he who criticises Messi, knows nothing about football.”

Messi claimed his seventh Ballon d’Or in December, with Benzema ranking fourth. The France international finished behind Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho as his other close contenders.

When asked about his final Ballon d’Or ranking, the Frenchman said: “Fourth, third or second is the same as 30th,

“The main thing is to win it.

“I was told that I hadn’t won enough trophies, but I couldn’t do more. It remains a goal and each season I will try to do better than what I did last season.”

Messi has returned to PSG’s squad ahead of their game against Reims on Sunday. After the international break, the Parisians will return to action with a Coupe de France game against Nice on January 31.