Lionel Messi is ‘exempt’ from certain tasks and PSG should work for him

Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier says Lionel Messi is exempt from defensive jobs and told the team to work hard to give the star freedom.

• PSG missed Mbappe and Neymar
• Galtier urged team to support Messi
• Argentina star scored winning goal

WHAT HAPPENED? Messi was the star of the show as PSG came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 on Saturday. The French giants were without Kylian Mbappe and Neymar for the Ligue 1 clash and Galtier says that Messi must be given all the support he can to make the difference.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I ask the team to play for Leo and work for him,” Galtier said. “He must be exempted from certain tasks. His partners must redouble their efforts to recover and create movement so that he find passes, which are so rare in today’s football, in such small spaces.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Toulouse went ahead at Parc des Princes on Saturday but the home team fought back through Achraf Hakimi. Messi then fired in the winning goal early in the second half and hit the woodwork with another attempt.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR PSG? Galtier’s team are in action again on Wednesday when they take on rivals Marseille in the Coupe de France.