Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has opened up about the difficulties he experienced following Lionel Messi's arrival at the French club.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Moroccan international discussed the impact of Messi's transfer on PSG's playing style and his own role on the pitch during an appearance on The Bridge, a show hosted by Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Hakimi explained that before joining PSG, he had enjoyed a much more attacking role at Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, regularly contributing goals and feeling like an important player in both teams.
However, the defender revealed that he had been unaware Messi would also be joining PSG when he signed his contract with the Parisian club.
Following the Argentine superstar's arrival, Hakimi found himself having to stay deeper on the pitch, limiting his opportunities to contribute in attack and preventing him from fully utilizing his offensive abilities.
"I felt like a small player. I wasn't enjoying myself," Hakimi admitted.
The Moroccan international also acknowledged that the situation had taken a psychological toll on him. While he played a leading role for Morocco's national team, he struggled to express himself in the same way at PSG.
According to Hakimi, criticism over the noticeable difference between his performances for club and country only made the situation more difficult.
Messi spent two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2023, winning two Ligue 1 titles and the French Super Cup before leaving the club.
