Lionel Messi has a night to forget after winning seventh Ballon d’Or as PSG hold home

Lionel Messi has had an evening to forget as Paris St Germain were forced to a goalless draw at Parc des Princes by Nice in a lackluster Ligue 1 encounter on Wednesday.

Argentina striker Messi, who skipped training on Tuesday with a bout of gastroenteritis a day after winning a record-breaking seventh Ballon d’Or, was tied with uninspired PSG who remained atop the table with 41 points in 16 games.

Olympique de Marseille edged Stade Rennais in second place with a 1-0 victory in Nantes as the Rennes team lost 2-1 at home to champions Lille.

Messi and Gianluigi Donnarumma unveiled the awards they received on Monday

Marseille, which has one game less, has 29 points, Rennes with 28 and Nice in fourth place with 27.

RC Lens, who have not won any of their last three games, are fifth with 26 points after a 2-2 draw at the promoted Clermont.

In Paris, Messi displayed his Ballon d’Or trophy and Gianluigi Donnarumma showed his Yashin trophy for best goalkeeper of the year before kick-off but PSG’s performance was far from sparkling.

Angel Di Maria spoiled one of PSG’s rare chances against Nice on Wednesday

Mauricio Pochettino made a frustrated figure as his side lost two points at home

They enjoyed possession but Nice were looking to hit them at the break and they had a huge opportunity just before the hour when Kasper Dolberg’s header crashed into Donnarumma’s post.

It was the culmination of a dark and humid evening in Paris where Mauricio Pochettino’s team continued to struggle.

Marseille are now 12 points behind with one game less having been in control throughout Nantes.

Gerson scored in the 30th minute with a fine shot on the turn, two minutes before Nantes was reduced to 10 men when defender Nicolas Pallois was awarded a second yellow card.

Lille, who have been in good form since the start of the season, looked like themselves in 2020-21 in a dominant game in Rennes with Xeka and Renato Sanches scoring before the break, a week before the team surrendered in Wolfsburg in a key. Champions League match.

PSG will move to fifth place on Saturday, while Marseille will host Brest, currently 11th, on the same day.

Rennes, third, will travel to Saint-Etienne, the bottom of the standings, at the start of the match on Sunday afternoon.

Nice, meanwhile, host Strasbourg, which climbed to sixth place after dismantling Bordeaux 5-2.