Lionel Messi hasn’t seen much of French football this season. It seems that the player and the club are protecting and ‘saving’ the Argentine for the Champions League – he plays in the domestic competitions only when he has to. He paused for a long time, now it’s time to slowly raise his form for mid-February and a duel against Real Madrid in the elite European competition. That is why he will be in the starting lineup this Monday against Nice (23.15), in the last match of the eighth-finals of Coupe de France.It will be Messi’s first time in the starting lineup after 40 days and the match against Lorient (1-1) in Ligue 1. After that match, the legendary Barcelona striker traveled to his homeland, where he got infected with Covid, and since returning to Paris he needed some time to get back in shape. He skipped the championship matches with Lyon (1-1) and Brest (2-0), and then played against Reims in the last 27 minutes. He participated with a corner assist for Marco Veratti in the 4-0 victory.Mon 23:15: (1.53) PSG (4.20) Nice (6.25)Messi played only 12 Ligue 1 matches, scored one goal and recorded six assists. He was much more productive in the Champions League, scoring five goals in five matches.He has not played a single match in the French Cup yet. The lower leagues Entente and Vannes were too weak, there was no need for Mauricio Pochettino to send in the big guns. Nice is another story.The team from the south of France is in great shape, they have six consecutive triumphs, four of those away. In the championship, Nice defeated Rennes (2-1), Lens (2-1), Brest (3-0), Nantes (2-1) and Metz (2-0). In the meantime, as part of the French Cup, they eliminated Cholet (1-0).Let us remind you Nice played against PSG on December 1st, the result was 0-0 at Parc de Princes and Messi played all 90 minutes.”Leo has been training well since he recovered from Covid. He played for half an hour last weekend and I think he is ready to be a starter against Nice”, assures Pochettino.Messi still not feeling well after Covid, will miss World Cup qualifiersUnlike him, Sergio Ramos will not play tonight. He injured his right leg in training on Thursday and will have to go on sick leave again. Everyone in the club is being hopeful it will not last too long. Only Neymar and Wijnaldum are more seriously injured, but the Dutchman could soon return to training.An interesting fact for the Parisians is that – in the absence of Keylor Navas (World Cup qualifiers with Costa Rica) and Gianluigi Donnarumma (injury) – the young third and fourth choice goalkeepers could record a rarer start. Denis Franchi and Alexander Letellier are hoping for a call-up from Pochettino.
