Former Super Eagles defender, Gbenga Okunowo has blamed Barcelona’s Lionel Messi for the team’s 4-1 loss against PSG in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League at Camp Nou.
Despite Messi’s early goal, Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain won at Barcelona to give themselves a commanding aggregate lead in their Champions League last-16 tie.
Reacting to the defeat, Okunowo told Brila.net that the Argentina star failed to show good leadership in helping the team.
“The general feeling in Barcelona is of despair. The team is suffering and the club itself is the same. Lionel Messi is a great player and the captain of the team, but yesterday, he didn’t show much leadership,’ the former Barcelona defender said.
“In the past, with Puyol every player would step up because on the pitch he’d push you to give 100 percent. Messi isn’t the vocal type of leader.’
“However, beyond what happened on the pitch on Tuesday, the fact that there’s also no President or management to take key decisions in the club is a big concern.
“The team lost in the Copa del Rey to Sevilla but there wasn’t much fuss, this defeat is even more painful because it happened in the Champions League.
“There’s a lot that needs to be done to get this team going again and I doubt Messi can make it happen,” he said.
By Augustine Akhilomen
