Lorient hold PSG to a draw
Only a last-minute equaliser from Mauro Icardi prevented Paris Saint Germain from suffering just their second loss of the season.
FULL-TIME: @FCLorient 1-1 @PSG_English @MauroIcardi‘s late header rescues a point in our final game of 2021 #FCLPSG pic.twitter.com/JHqoTP0TE3
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) December 22, 2021
Thomas Monconduit had handed the home side, currently sitting in the relegation zone, a surprise lead just before the break, before Sergio Ramos saw red just 40 minutes after entering the fray.
Sergio Ramos has been sent off!
The 27th red card of his professional career 🟥
Some things never change 😅 pic.twitter.com/Vc8zM6Xpf2
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 22, 2021
And, with it, it looked as though he had cost PSG any chance of getting back into the game, only for Icardi to turn home the winner in injury time, and hand PSG a point in their final game of 2021.
Of course, a loss would not have been the end of the world for Mauricio Pochettino, despite the embarrassment, with the Parisians currently 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1. However, managers of PSG have been known to be sacked for less.
Messi sets unwanted record
And, after the game, an altogether unwanted record came to the fore surrounding marquee signing Lionel Messi.
The Argentine has struggled since he moved to Paris from Barcelona, and that has shown in his performances on the pitch.
And, as per Get French Football News, his blank against Lorient has confirmed that this is the least productive first half of the season in his league career.
Lionel Messi (34) has had the least productive 1st half of a club league season in his history as a player with 1 goal in 865 minutes of action.
His move to PSG is proving to be a major challenge & not the cop out that armchair European football supporters laughed it off as.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 23, 2021
This, of course, must be caveated by his five goals in the Champions League, but the question must be asked. Why is there such a difference?
