Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier warned the trio of superstars of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar that they need to accept a role on the bench, whether they like it or not.
While former manager Mauricio Pochettino rarely makes rotations, his successor Galtier did not hesitate to put Neymar on the bench on Saturday, three days before their Champions League opener against Juventus.
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Neymar arrived at the interval of an hour, but it was Mbappe who made way for his colleague in their 3-0 win at Nantesand France The international community did not disappoint.
Messi played the most of the three, although he was also called up to the bench in the late game against Monaco and Toulouse.
Galtier, who takes over this season, has warned that the team will come first, and he was right on his word as PSG scored a record 24 goals in their opening six league games.
“I talked about it twice – once with the individual and once with the whole team, to tell them how things are going and we have to have the right attitude and accept it.” Galtier said.
With a tight schedule and the World Cup approaching, Galtier says there are few choices.
“You say it’s new, but it’s everyone’s duty because the schedule is very busy,” he said.
“We play a lot, every three days, then every four days, then the World Cup. People have to understand that they won’t be able to play all the games.”
Sergio Ramos was also given a relative rest against Nantes, coming on only in the 62nd minute.
“Everybody has to be ready to play. The most important thing is the whole team. We have quality both among starters and substitutes,” Presnel Kimpembe speak.
“We have a good team. Everyone knows that. We take advantage of each other to be the best we can be.”
Although Mbappe and Neymar argue over who should take the penalties, the French forward insists they have a good relationship.
“Our relationship has always been like this. There are moments that are a bit cold, other moments that are warmer. Sometimes we are like best friends and other times we talk less to each other. but there is always respect,” Mbappe told a conference news.
“When you have two players with different personalities, these things happen but we always respect each other and have the interest of PSG.”
Meanwhile, PSG defended the use of charter flights instead of more eco-friendly trains after a French high-speed rail network executive urged the club to let its players fly one short trip to Nantes this past weekend.
Alain Krakovitch, the French rail company’s director of service TGV-Intercity, said on Twitter that the network’s high-speed trains could travel about 380 kilometers (240 miles) from Paris to the western city in just in less than two hours.
He retweeted the video that appeared to have been posted by a PSG player with team members on the flight to the Ligue 1 match on Saturday night. Paris beat Nantes 3-0.
Speaking to PSG, Krakovitch wrote: “I renew our offer of a TGV offer tailored to your specific needs.”
In response to a question from the Associated Press, PSG said there are no late-night TGV trains that they can catch back to Paris after the game, which would force the team to spend the night in Nantes if they want to take the train back. to the French capital the next morning.
A club spokesman said PSG had “absolutely no intention of taking the train if all conditions are met” and that they were in talks with French railway company SNCF. But the club says charter flights are more flexible and they must also consider the safety of players and the public when using public transport.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
