After Lionel Messi바카라s second-half goal helped a lackluster Paris Saint-Germain beat Toulouse 2-1 to move eight points clear at the top of the French league on Saturday, the team was urged to lighten their superstar바카라s load.
Messi struck with a typical curling strike in the 57th minute following a move with Morocco right back Achraf Hakimi, who drew PSG level late in the first half after free kick specialist Branco van den Boomen put Toulouse ahead in the 20th.
PSG was without injured forwards Kylian Mbappé and Neymar and relied heavily on Messi, who hit the post during stoppage time. Without Lionel Messi, who has hit 98 goals for Argentina, PSG would have struggled more.
바카라Messi was a very important driving force for us, given his goal and the chances he created. I바카라m asking the team to play for him and to work for him. He must be relieved of certain duties,바카라 coach Christophe Galtier said. 바카라His teammates must intensify their efforts to win the ball back and to create spaces, so that he can spray around his passes which are so rare.바카라
PSG needs Messi with Bayern Munich coming up on Feb. 14 in the first leg of their round-of-16 game in the Champions League.
MbappĂ© is out for at least three weeks after sustaining a left thigh tear. Neymar is having treatment for a sore adductor and missed his second straight game. PSG바카라s injury woes increased when Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches went off injured early with a thigh injury.
PSG had lost two and drawn one of its previous five matches, and fell behind in the 20th when Van den Boomen바카라s free kick from the right flew past stranded goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into the left corner.
After Marquinhos hit the post with a header from Messi바카라s corner, PSG equalized with a fine 20-meter strike from Hakimi in the 38th.
But Marquinhos appeared offside on Messi바카라s goal, to the frustration of sarcastic-sounding Toulouse coach Philippe Montanier.
바카라I don바카라t know the rules of refereeing so well but I did play in goal for 30 years,바카라 he said. 바카라So I know that it바카라s difficult when a player gets in the way of the ball.바카라
OTHER MATCHES
Kosovo winger Edon Zhegrova equalized with a volley and set up substitute RĂ©my Cabella바카라s volleyed goal in the 85th minute as Lille won at Rennes 3-1 to move two points behind Rennes in fifth spot.
After scoring in the third minute in midweek, forward Amine Gouiri netted after only 28 seconds for Rennes.
Also, Alexandre Lacazette scored his 13th goal of the campaign 바카라 level with MbappĂ© 바카라 as Lyon won at Troyes 3-1.
Second-placed Marseille needs to beat Nice at home on Sunday to stay five points behind PSG ahead of their clash on Feb. 26.
