At Napoli, he started to be named in the identical breath as Diego Maradona. And now, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has adopted in Lionel Messi’s footsteps by successful back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with PSG.
It’s an expectation greater than a hope in Paris that PSG will win the league. After their win over Lens on Wednesday, they’ve now achieved it for a fifth consecutive season.
The beginning of that run coincided with Messi’s two-year spell in France. Lately, although, their assault is being lit up by completely different gamers.
Kvaratskhelia, who joined PSG in January 2025, scored the opener towards Lens to set Luis Enrique’s aspect on their approach to the title.
Now, the Georgian winger has gained Ligue 1 on the first two instances of asking, similar to Messi did.
However which participant was extra vital in direction of their respective double triumphs?
Throughout his two seasons with PSG, Messi made 58 Ligue 1 appearances and scored 22 targets. As well as, he supplied 31 assists.
As compared, Kvaratskhelia’s 18 months with PSG to this point have included 41 appearances, 12 targets and 7 assists.
Messi’s common goals-per-game ratio in Ligue 1 was 0.38, whereas Kvaratskhelia’s to this point is 0.29.
Throughout his two Ligue 1 title triumphs, Messi scored 12.29% of PSG’s league targets.
Kvaratskhelia has scored 10.08% of PSG’s league targets since he joined.
As for the decisiveness of these targets, Messi gave PSG the lead in 9 video games (seven instances with the opening aim) whereas Kvaratskhelia has given them the lead six instances (3 times with the opener).
There’s one equalising aim to every participant’s identify, however whereas Messi scored three successful targets, Kvaratskhelia is but to take action.
In complete, PSG gained 40 video games throughout their two seasons successful the league with Messi (wherein he featured). In a single-and-a-half to this point with Kvaratskhelia, they’ve gained 31 he’s performed in.
Total, the metrics are higher for Messi. Nevertheless, Kvaratskhelia had half a season fewer to file his stats.
The final consensus is that PSG’s period with Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar didn’t include as effectively balanced a squad because the one they went on to win the Champions League with final season.
And so Kvaratskhelia and firm may go on to realize a good higher notion than their star-studded predecessors, particularly in the event that they make it two Champions Leagues in a row.
The instances above maybe go to point out that what is perhaps strange for Messi may be an achievement for different gamers.
However having already conquered Naples and earned a Maradona-like admiration there, Kvaratskhelia is in with a shout of rivalling Messi’s Parisian popularity.
READ MORE: Kvaratskhelia captains an unimaginable XI of ballers from retro nations
TRY A QUIZ: Are you able to identify each membership that’s gained the Ligue 1 title?
