Achraf Hakimi: My level at Paris Saint-Germain was affected after Messi joined
Achraf Hakimi said his level at Paris Saint-Germain was affected after Lionel Messi joined the team, explaining that his arrival changed the club’s project and style of play, making it harder for him to deliver what he was used to on the pitch.
Achraf Hakimi said his level at Paris Saint-Germain was affected after Lionel Messi joined the team, explaining that his arrival changed the club’s project and style of play, making it harder for him to deliver what he was used to on the pitch.
Hakimi explained in comments reported by The Touchline that he did not know the club would sign Messi at that time. He added that the changes made him feel like a small player, and that he could no longer attack and influence the team in the way he was good at.
Hakimi noted that he was an important player for the Morocco national team at the time, but said he could not mentally come to terms with his declining performances at Paris Saint-Germain and that criticism poured in. The club had signed Hakimi from Inter Milan in 2021, then brought in Messi as a free agent later that same year, after his contract with Barcelona ended. Messi played two seasons in Paris before leaving for Inter Miami.