Lionel Messi has not managed to hit the ground running with Paris Saint-Germain because he needed some time to come to terms with the shock of leaving Barcelona, according to Nicolas Anelka.
The Argentine was expected to rip it up in Ligue 1 but he has not quite lived up to expectations, with only two league goals to his name six months into his astonishing move to the French capital after 21 years with Barcelona.
The seven-times Ballon d'Or winner faces the biggest test of his spell at PSG next Tuesday when Real Madrid visit the Parc des Princes next Tuesday in a blockbuster Champions League last-16 first leg, the type of match where his time at PSG will ultimately be judged.
"Messi had spent his whole life at Barcelona and it's not easy to adapt because everything is new for him," former PSG and Real Madrid striker Anelka told Marca.
Messi left Barca after a teary press conference in which he could barely hold his emotions together, confirming he had agreed to take a 50% pay cut in order to sign a new deal with the Catalans.
But even that was ultimately not enough due to Barcelona’s financial crisis and their need to reduce their wage bill, prompting Messi and his family to up sticks to Paris to join former team-mate Neymar in a star-studded squad also featuring new signings Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Georginio Wijnaldum.
"I don't think he wanted to leave Barca. He was obliged to leave and so it's not easy for him," added Anelka.
"It's a new situation for him but Messi is Messi and in matches like this he always demonstrates that he is a great player and I think he'll have a good game against Madrid."
Messi has always raised his game when facing Madrid, scoring 26 goals and providing 14 assists in 45 games for Barcelona against their arch-rivals.
But even given Messi’s history against Madrid, his team-mate Kylian Mbappe is likely to attract even more attention before and during the tie as the France striker is expected to join Real in the summer on a free transfer after resisting PSG's numerous attempts to tie him to a new deal.
PSG turned down sensational bids from Real last year but Anelka is certain that nothing will stand in Mbappe's way this summer and his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
"I can say that in general when a player wants to leave for free... [he usually does]. If he wanted to stay he would have signed a new contract earlier," added Anelka.
"I think he'll be at Real Madrid next year. Everyone's saying he's going to join Madrid. And will he want to make the difference against them precisely to prove he can play at Real Madrid?
It's possible that he will want to leave PSG with his head held high before moving to Madrid, although I don't know what will be going through his head."
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