Messi on course to fulfilling Khelaifi’s promise?

It probably is too soon to tell, but Lionel Messi seems to be on the right track to fulfilling his PSG club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi's promise made last month.

Messi netted just 11 goals in all competitions for PSG last season but the French club president said last month that in 2022/23 "we will see the best version of Messi ever."

Messi was among the scorers on Wednesday but PSG were made to work hard for a 2-1 win over Kawasaki Frontale in the first match of their pre-season Japanese tour.

Star forward Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe all started in new PSG manager Christophe Galtier's first game in charge of his full squad in front of a crowd of 65,000 at Tokyo's National Stadium.

Messi opened the scoring with a 32nd-minute shot but a much-changed PSG line-up in the second half could manage only one more goal through substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo.

J-League champions Kawasaki pulled a goal back in the 84th minute when Kazuya Yamamura headed home unmarked to set up a nervy finish.