In Full: Lionel Messi's Hit and Miss Record Against Former Club PSG

In partnership with

Sports Illustrated FC

·27 June 2025

In Full: Lionel Messi's Hit and Miss Record Against Former Club PSG

For the first time in his career, Lionel Messi is preparing to face a former club.

Following his stunning exit in 2021, Messi avoided an emotional reunion against Barcelona while donning the navy and red of French behemoths Paris Saint-Germain. It never looked right, and although Messi shone statistically in France, the Argentine failed to capture hearts and minds as he did so effortlessly while parading his greatness in Catalonia.

OneFootball Videos

Messi supposedly departed PSG on rather frosty terms two years ago, opting for pastures new in the form of Inter Miami.

The all-time great Argentine was and remains a staggering coup for MLS, with his mere presence guaranteeing Miami a spot at FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup this summer. Indifferent league form entering the tournament sparked fears of potential embarrassment in front of a global audience, but Messi hasn’t allowed his team to fall flat on their faces.

Inspired by their 38-year-old captain, Miami are into the last 16 of the tournament, but the most daunting of tests await. If they’re to bypass European champions PSG, the Herons require a vengeful Messi to roll back the years.

Here’s how he’s fared against the Parisians throughout his career.

Lionel Messi’s History Against Former Club PSG

Messi has faced PSG ten times in his career. / IMAGO/Panoramic by PsnewZ

Sunday’s round of 16 duel will be the 11th time Messi has faced up against PSG, but the first since leaving the club in 2023.

His history with the club dates back to 2013, when Barcelona met a Carlo Ancelotti-led PSG in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Barça, who were dethroned by Real Madrid in La Liga the season prior at the end of Pep Guardiola’s reign, were transitioning with Tito Vilanova at the helm.

Messi opened the scoring in the first leg away from home but was forced off at half-time due to injury. The setback meant he was only half-fit for the return leg, and the Argentine was limited to a 26-minute cameo as Barcelona advanced on away goals. Vilanova’s side were then battered by Bayern Munich in the semifinals—a defeat which signaled the end of Spanish domination and ushered in German gegenpressing as the prevailing school of thought over European football.

PSG saw plenty of Messi during the 2014–15 season as they faced Barcelona four times in the Champions League. The forward scored in both group games as victories were shared, but Luis Enrique’s eventual treble-winners later overpowered the French team in their quarterfinal meeting. The tie was broken open by Luis Suárez, who scored twice and memorably made David Luiz look silly in a 3–1 first-leg win.

Messi recorded an assist over the two legs.

PSG looked for all money to finally get one over the Catalonians in the 2016–17 round of 16, as they stifled Messi and company in an emphatic 4–0 victory at the Parc des Princes. Edinson Cavani’s away goal in the return leg was meant to be the finishing blow, but Barcelona—not inspired by Messi, but Neymar—completed the mother of all comebacks: the Remontada.

Sergi Roberto’s last-gasp finish sealed a remarkable 6–1 victory in the second leg, meaning Barça progressed as 6–5 aggregate winners.

Four years later, La Blaugrana were a shell of their once-dominant selves, having succumbed to an 8–2 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich the previous season. 2020–21 saw PSG finally defeat Messi’s Barcelona over two legs, although the Barça captain scored in both games. The Argentine’s strike in Paris was perhaps the finest of his six goals against the French giants, but his team were unable to make up a 4–1 deficit from the first leg.