Lionel Messi Explains How COVID Affected His Performance During First Season At PSG

Lionel Messi has revealed that he was significantly hampered by COVID for around six weeks during his first season with Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Barcelona star helped PSG win the Ligue 1 title by chipping in with 14 assists and six goals.

But Messi claims that he was left unable to run during much of January and all of February after testing positive for COVID during the winter.

Messi missed PSG's first three games of 2022 before returning as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Reims on January 23.

But Messi said in a recent interview with TYC Sports that he came back too early while he was still struggling physically as a consequence of his COVID infection.

Lionel Messi pictured in action against Reims in January 2022 - his first game for PSG after testing positive for COVID

IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Matthieu Mirville

Messi explained: "It left me with after-effects in my lungs. I came back and it was like a month and a half without even being able to run because my lungs were affected.

"I came back before I should have, and it got worse because I went too fast and it ended up setting me back.

"But I couldn't take it anymore, I wanted to run, to train. I wanted to get going. And in the end, it got worse."

Among the games that took place while Messi was said to be struggling physically was PSG's 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash.

Messi failed to convert a penalty in that game and PSG were eventually knocked out after losing the second leg 3-1.