Mbappe and Messi's absence was felt quite a lot in this game indeed. It affected them in the attacking line really negatively.
In addition to that I can say that PSG weren't good at defending today. Monaco's second goal came after a big mistake by Bitshiabu in defense for example. PSG gave big spaces to their competitor during the game also. Donnarumma made some important saves also otherwise Monaco could have won this game by a bigger goal difference honestly. Ben Yedder had an amazing day with 2 goals and 1 assist. The game ended in the first half already in fact as we watched all the goals there. PSG weren't even like they were competing in the game in the other half. They had only one goal attempt.
These PSG results make this Ligue 1 much more exciting, I don't know what problems PSG is going through, but whatever it is, it's affecting them too much because losing 3-1 is not normal for them, it's practically a humiliation, and the teams are already taking advantage of this downturn in PSG's spirits.
PSG is not just Messi, PSG is all the 11 that go out on the field to play, if Mbappé, Neymar or Messi don't play, the PSG team falls apart, and that's not good, as a coach I would have to think of a solution quick, because the starless team has yet to do well. If PSG keep playing like this, I don't see it as a good option to face Bayern in the UCL.
Lionel Messi returning to Barcelona very difficult but not impossible – Romero
To be honest
Messi is not even so difficult to go back again to the barcelona but the main problem is barcelona needs to solve its financial problem before trying to think to bring it back messi to the barcelona again. Xavi is always opening the door for messi to come back again to the barcelona. Messi's family confirmed that in the past if messi might possible to go to the barcelona again as long as the club didn't have debt and wanna pay messi's big salary. This is the main problem that has been facing by Barcelona to bring back messi to the camp nou.
I see no reason for messi to go back again to the Barcelona if the club has not fixed yet its financial problem. Barcelona is still having very big debt.
I don't know what the current situation is for Barcelona regarding their financial issues, but as we can see they often find ways to make it possible somehow. Last time they didn't, that's true, but if they have a long time to handle a specific problem they might be able to solve it.
As far as the sportive side goes it could still be interesting to see Messi go back and play behind Lewandowski, Dembele and Torres or Pedri etc. They would find a position for him where he could still offer a lot of value to the team. Lewandowski would certainly be happy about it because he knows that there is no player providing better and more precise assists than Messi. That is what Lewandowski loves.
For Ligue 1 it would be bad news. Think about the worst case when Real Madrid would get Mbappe and Messi leaves as well, Ligue 1 would get hit hard in terms of public interest. Neymar isn't really a reason anymore for people to watch PSG.
According to Messi's brother, he said that Messi would not go to Barcelona anymore, now I have no idea what PSG plans with Messi, in the last match it was Messi who saved PSG in that exciting match with Lillle which in my personal opinion I thought that PSG was going to lose, everything pointed to that.
Personally, I would like Messi to leave PSG, for PSG to stay with Mbappé and for him to build the team, because in a few words that is what he wants and since they have given him so many freedoms and power it is obvious, PSG is the only club that has given a lot of importance to a player and that sometimes I feel that they put him above the club, which seems very bad to me, something that Real Madrid did let them know when Mbappé wanted to go to Madrid once he rejected them.
It is a fact that Ney is going to leave and it seems a shame to me, if that team were mine I would prefer the coach to leave, but not the players, maybe Messi and Ney are a bit old, but they are the best..