Lionel Messi admits to 'getting desperate' before scoring first PSG goal

Paris Saint-Germain fans cheered in delight and Lionel Messi breathed a sigh of relief after he scored his first goal since joining the club from FC Barcelona this summer. The Argentine scored in PSG's 2-0 victory over Manchester City in their UEFA Champions League Group Stage encounter, with Idrissa Gueye scoring the other.

It was an unstoppable strike in the 74rd minute that had Messi gliding his way towards goal from the halfway line at the Parc des Princes. He linked up beautifully with French forward Kylian Mbappe to leave Ederson stunned in front of his goal.

The ball drilled into the top corner and fans roared in approval. It was an unforgettable moment for the fans, but Messi and the higher ups at PSG will see it more as a moment of vindication. Messi left the only other club he had player for on a professional level this summer, and some had doubts about his ability to bring the same magic from Barcelona to Paris.

PSG management made the bold move to acquire the Argentine, even though at 34, he is a risky investment. Messi took exactly 264 minutes before scoring a goal for PSG, and for someone like the 6-time Ballon d'Or winner, that seemed like an eternity. It did not help that he suffered a minor knock on his knee last week, casting doubts about his fitness and his ability to bring his A-game to Paris.

Messi admitted that before last night's goal, he had not been feeling great. "It's true that I was getting desperate to score my first goal," he said, as quoted by the BBC. "I hadn't played much recently and I had only played once here at home but I am settling into the team little by little.

He also mentioned the much-hyped attacking trident at PSG involving himself, Mbappe and former Barcelona teammate Neymar Jr. "The more us forwards play together, the better our relationship will be. We all need to grow together and improve and keep giving our best," he said.

PSG Manager Mauricio Pochettino eased Messi slowly into the PSG squad, allowing him to settle in gradually by giving him fewer minutes than many would have expected. His injury, lack of match fitness and international schedule did not help either.

He played in only three previous matches against Reims and Lyon in Ligue 1 and the draw against Club Bruges in their UCL opener. He did not make much of an impact in all three games, but his display against the Premier League champions is the Messi that everyone wanted to see.

Pochettino could not hide his delight either, saying "I spent years watching Messi score goals from the opponent's side - so this time, scoring for my team, that's great."