PSG vs. Stade de Reims: Lionel Messi debuts in Ligue 1 for Paris Saint-Germain

Simon Borg
• 4 min read
Lionel Messi - PSG - August 29, 2021

After a long wait — 19 days after officially signing his contract — Lionel Messi is set for his official debut for Paris Saint-Germain. The French giant visits Stade de Reims in Matchday 4 of Ligue 1.

Messi was included in the matchday squad and his coach, fellow Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, has already confirmed the soccer legend will play in the game. He will start on the bench, wearing the No. 30 jersey.

Many fans around the world are eager to see Messi in a new jersey after he spent 21 seasons with FC Barcelona in Spain. He became a free agent on June 30 and signed a two-year deal with PSG with an option for a third.

WATCH: Lionel Messi's debut streaming on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

Sporting News will follow the match live with updates, commentary and video clips shared below.

PSG vs. Stade de Reims live score

  1H 2H Final
PSG 0 — —
Stade de Reims 0 — —

13th min.: Marquinhos with a huge sliding block on a shot in the box by El Bilal Toure, but that attempt was also ruled offside.

10th min.: First big chance for PSG on the feet of Kylian Mbappe. He gets the ball, turns in the box and pokes the ball at goal, but it’s just wide.

8th min.: Stade de Reims looks dangerous with PSG keeping a high line. In the latest instance, El Bilal Toure is caught offside. It’s the third offside call against Reims.

1st min.: We’re off. And it’s an offside call on the kickoff against PSG. That’s rare.

2:47 p.m.: And here’s that walk out of the tunnel for Messi:

2:46 p.m.: A look at Messi in the tunnel coming out with his team:

2:32 p.m.: The fans in Reims are getting a treat:

1:36 p.m.: Mauricio Pochettino confirms pregame that Messi will be getting playing time in the match:

12:46 p.m.: Messi's place in the locker? Right next to his best bud Neymar:

PSG vs. Stade de Reims lineups

Even without Lionel Messi in the starting lineup, PSG's front line is scary: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria. Two of the five new acquisitions in the offseason will also start: right back Achraf Hakimi and central midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

PSG

Starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 1-Keylor Navas — 22-Abdou Diallo, 5-Marquinhos, 24-Thilo Kehrer, 2-Achraf Hakimi — 6-Marco Verratti, 27-Idrissa Gueye, 18-Georginio Wijnaldum — 10-Neymar, 7-Kylian Mbappe, 11-Angel Di Maria

Available Subs: 50-Gianluigi Donnarumma-GK, 3-Presnel Kimpembe, 8-Leandro Paredes, 15-Danilo Pereira, 36-Junior Dina Ebimbe, 23-Julian Draxler, 21-Ander Herrera, 29-Arnaud Kalimuendo, 30-Lionel Messi

Stade Reims

Starting lineup (3-4-3, left to right): 1-Predrag Rajkovic-GK — 5-Yunis Abdelhamid, 2-Wout Faes, 6-Andrew Gravillon — 26-Dion Lopy, 23-Moreto Cassama, 15-Marshall Munetsi, 32-Thomas Foket — 11-Nathanael Mbuku, 27-El Bilal Toure, 20-Ilan Kebbal

Available Subs: 16-Yehvann Diouf-GK, 3-Ghislain Konan, 13-Fode Doucoure, 24-Mathieu Cafaro, 14-Valon Berisha, 12-Alexis Flips, 22-Hugo Ekitike, 19-Mitchell Van Bergen

How to watch Messi, PSG

Ligue 1 matches during the 2021-2022 season are available on beIN Sports, which can be streamed on fuboTV in the USA and Canada:

Ligue 1

  • TV Channels: beIN Sports, beIN Sports en Espanol, beIN Sportr Xtra (available on fuboTV, cable, satellite, Sling, Fanatiz)
  • Streaming: beIN Sports Xtra (on fuboTV, Roku, Sling, Fanatiz and Pluto TV) & beIN Sports Connect app (for authenticated subscribers)

BeIN Sports, beIN Sports en Espanol and beIN Sports Xtra are streaming on fuboTV (free 7-day trial).

Author(s)
Simon Borg
soccer
France
PSG
Ligue 1
Reims
Reims vs PSG
LATEST VIDEOS