The French club threw away a 2-0 aggregate lead against Real Madrid with Karim Benzema scoring a second-half hat-trick to send Los Blancos through to the quarter-finals.

As PSG's season hinges on European success, there has been bitter backlash to the result from their own fans and calls for president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to resign.

For Messi, it is the latest blow of a challenging first season in new surroundings during which he has struggled to replicate his best Barcelona form.

The Catalan giants are managed by his former teammate, Xavi, and the Spain legend showed his class by reaching out to his friend "to encourage him after the game".

"I have a friendly relationship with Messi and we are talking," Xavi said ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash against Osasuna. "Yes, I sent him a message to encourage him after the game.

"It was a duel that changed in 20 or 25 minutes in which Madrid had faith and desire and turned the scoreboard in a match that was very difficult."

Xavi and Messi won the Champions League four times together but the former admits elimination from the competition is only ever one lapse in concentration away.https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/lionel-messi?utm_source=facebook_instant&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook_instant&utm_content=in-article&fbclid=IwAR0kgBUoMEfziX3_ApXcB3nYimbh-0ridKjycSWEhfoQi9HtIF8j89Iciog

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