Nice show by PSG’s Messi

Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Nice at the Allianz Riviera Stadium on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another for Sergio Ramos as Paris Saint-Germain won 2-0 at Nice on Saturday to restore their six-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table and ease the pressure on coach Christophe Galtier.

Messi converted a Nuno Mendes cross in the 26th minute before Gianluigi Donnarumma produced several key saves and Dante was denied by the woodwork as PSG's goal lived a charmed life on the Cote d'Azur.

Ramos then ended any doubt about the outcome when he headed in a Messi corner with 14 minutes remaining, as PSG bounced back from suffering consecutive home defeats. Those losses had left the Qatar-owned club with eight defeats in 18 games in 2023 and piled the pressure on Galtier amid reports he may not even see out the season.

Also read: Messi likely to leave PSG at end of season

A win for nearest challengers Lens on Friday had cut PSG's lead at the top of the table to just three points before this game, and before the top two meet in Paris next weekend. "We had a lot of pressure on our shoulders both because of our poor performances and because of Lens winning," said Galtier.

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