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Lionel Messi set to make Paris Saint-Germain debut Aug. 29 vs. Stade de Reims

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Aug 16, 2021 6:06 PM ET

Many Paris Saint-Germain supporters are about to learn if patience really is a virtue.

According to a Sky Sports report, international superstar and living legend Lionel Messi will not make his Paris Saint-Germain debut before Aug. 29 but is on track to take the pitch for that Sunday showdown at Stade de Reims. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner joined PSG last week and was introduced to the Parc des Princes faithful during this past Saturday's win over Strasbourg, but the 34-year-old has only trained with his new teammates three times as of Monday evening.

"We will take it step-by-step, get to know each other and have him feel fit and comfortable so that he is able to make his debut when he is fully fit," head coach Mauricio Pochettino said of his new acquisition last week.

Messi was a free agent this summer and competed in the Copa America before negotiating what he hoped would be a fresh contract with Spanish giants Barcelona. Barcelona could not register him because of La Liga's strict financial regulations regarding salaries, though, and PSG swooped in to acquire Messi, who may still be the world's top overall player.

PSG will be away to Brest this coming Friday.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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