The arrival of Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain has created a positive mood at the Ligue 1 club but he is unlikely to play any part in Saturday’s home game against Strasbourg, coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

Speaking at Friday’s news conference ahead of the league fixture after Messi joined PSG from Barcelona earlier this week, Pochettino added his first task was to make sure a star-studded outfit began to look the sum of its parts.

PSG surrendered the French league title to Lille last season and were eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals by Manchester City despite boasting the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria in their ranks.

Adding Messi to the fold will have raised expectations among fans and the board at the Qatari-owned club.

But Pochettino struck a note of caution after 34-year-old Messi arrived from Barcelona. “Our challenge now is to ensure all of these top players form a team capable of meeting all the challenges ahead of it,” said Pochettino. “We want to make sure that this team becomes a strong unit.

“As for when we might see Leo Messi in action, it is his second day of training after a month since he played the last game at the Copa America.

“We will take things step by step, get to know each other and have him feel fit and comfortable so that he is able to make his debut when he is fully fit.”