Ahead Lille match PSG coach play down Mbappe and Neymar rift

Paris Saint-Germain coach Christopher Galtier has claimed there are no problems between Kylian Mbappe and Neymar despite the pair clashing during and after last weekend’s victory over Montpellier.

The two players came to blows in PSG’s 5-2 win after Mbappe had missed a penalty midway through the first half. When a second penalty was awarded, Neymar insisted on taking it and grabbed the ball.

Following an argument between the pair, Neymar won the battle and scored, although Mbappe didn’t celebrate with him.

The Frenchman was visibly angry and showed a disinterested attitude throughout the match.

Following the game, Neymar liked various tweets that criticised the choice of Mbappe as the club’s penalty taker.

However, speaking ahead of Sunday’s clash with Lille, Head Coach Galtier insisted there were no problems.

‘There is no discomfort, it's fine,' he said. ‘Of course, we quickly met the next day to iron out all that and say what we had to say to each other.

‘That's why there is no malaise and I confirm it with a lot of sincerity, we had a very pleasant week of work where everyone worked to prepare the match against Lille.’

Galtier said Neymar and Mbappe spoke the day after the match to solve their differences

The pair's relationship reportedly became strained when Lionel Messi arrived at the club last summer after signing a two-year deal worth a staggering £35million a season, with Neymar and the Argentinian having linked up at previously at Barcelona.

One of the tweets that Neymar had liked read: 'Now it's official, Mbappe is the one who takes the penalties at PSG. Clearly this is a contract thing, because in no club in the world that has Neymar, he would be the second collector, none!! It seems that because of the contract, Mbappe is the owner of PSG!!'

Another one said: 'Today, in the PSG game, Neymar scored and HUMILIATED the goalkeeper (once again) in the penalty kick. Mbappé, on the other hand, hit VERY badly and lost. After the game, the coach said that Mbappé will be the team's main hitter for the season. An absurdity!'

When pressed on what would happen next time the French side are awarded a penalty, Galtier played down suggestions of a problem occurring again.

The Frenchman, who remarkably won Ligue 1 as manager of Lille in 2020-21 said: ‘It can only be evolutionary because it depends on who is on the field at that moment.

‘In this match against Montpellier, there was a very precise order, shooter number one Kylian, shooter number two Ney. That's what happened.

 ‘Afterwards, there is the interpretation that we make when we give an order, what happens when there is a second penalty.

Neymar had taken the battle to social media, liking posts that included a suggestion that Mbappe has the right to take penalties embedded into his new mega contract at the club

‘Nothing happened on the second penalty, it was very short, there was a discussion, an exchange, a discussion between Ney and Kylian. From the moment Ney felt like taking it, Kylian let Ney take it.’

Mbappe was also slammed by fans for throwing a strop during the game when he inexplicably stopped running during a blistering PSG counter attack which saw new signing Vitinha opt to pass to Messi instead of Mbappe who reacted by throwing his hands in the air and grinding to a halt.

The 23-year-old did finally open his account for the season in the second half with a close-range finish but his muted celebration told its own story despite team-mates gathering around him to celebrate. 

GOAL reported earlier this week the club took action in an attempt to squash the feud between the pair for the good of the team.

The PSG chiefs reportedly told Mbappe and Neymar to 'bury the hatchet and learn to co-exist' as the strain on their relationship is affecting the team.

It is believed the conversation took place in front of the entire squad - with the PSG bosses explaining how everyone must 'maintain good relationships with each other'.

Galtier's first big job as PSG head coach will be to put an end to the saga that is bringing more unwelcome attention to the club.