This archive report was first published on 20 September 2021.
On September 19, 2021, Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino made headlines with his decision to substitute Lionel Messi in the 75th minute of a 2-1 win over Olympique Lyonnais in the French Ligue 1.
Messi, making his third appearance for the side, had a promising debut, hitting the woodwork but failing to score at the Parc des Princes. However, his time on the pitch came to an end when he was replaced by fullback Achraf Hakimi, sparking a brief exchange with Pochettino as he walked off the pitch.
"I think we all know we have great players in this 35-man squad. Only 11 can play, we can't play more. The decisions in the game are made for the good of the team and each player," Pochettino explained to reporters.
When asked about Messi's reaction to being substituted, Pochettino revealed that the Argentine had simply replied, "I'm okay," before the two parted ways.
Despite the controversy surrounding the substitution, PSG went on to secure a victory thanks to a stoppage-time goal by Mauro Icardi, maintaining their perfect record with 18 points.
