Messi on the Verge of Joining the Dark Side at PSG

Paris Saint-Germain is once again the center of the footballing world and it has nothing to do with their victory on Saturday to open the Ligue 1 campaign.

On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Guillaume Delaporte and Matt Gooding to discuss the reports that Lionel Messi will be announced as a PSG player this week. We also spend a few minutes on that 2-1 win over ES Troyes AC and answer a few questions from listeners.

Of course, the show starts with Messi. Guillaume has been following PSG since well before the Qatar Sports Investments takeover and I ask him what it's like to see his club sign a player of Messi's quality. Matt shares the reaction from the English press and we discuss whether Messi will be seen as a villain now that he's joined the club that most in the media despise.

Next, we break down the financials of the Messi deal. Why couldn't FC Barcelona keep Messi and how did PSG figure out a way to make the numbers work while also having Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé on the roster?

Our Messi chat wraps up with a debate about whether PSG is now the favorites to win the UEFA Champions League or if a club like Chelsea FC stands in their way with a more well-rounded squad.

The second half of the show focuses on the match against Troyes. We drool over the potential of the team with Achraf Hakimi in the right-back position and applaud Ander Herrera's passing ability. Mauro Icardi surprised many with his performance and Keylor Navas saved the day with a flurry of late-game saves.

However, the match against Troyes did expose some defensive issues and we wonder why Mauricio Pochettino played Mbappé 90 minutes after only just returning to training days prior.

The show concludes with us answer questions sent in via Twitter, including Pochettino's playing style, Ligue 1 media rights, and how to make the French league stronger now that more eyes will be watching with Messi's impending arrival.

As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts.