Kylian Mbappe delivered blunt reality check after latest PSG dressing room feud
The Paris Saint-Germain dressing room is rife with disagreements – and Christophe Galtier’s decision to strip Kylian Mbappe of the club’s vice-captainship for Sunday’s game against Lille could create even more tension
Divisions in the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room continue to undermine Christophe Galtier’s efforts to bring harmony to the Parc des Princes.
PSG have a star-studded squad with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi making up the front line. And while they have a comfortable lead at the top of Ligue 1, the constant reports of squad fractures are worrying.
Last month, Galtier made Mbappe the club’s vice-captain without informing previous incumbent Presnel Kimpembe. The longtime PSG defender released a statement on social media to confirm the news, which was not well received in the camp.
Kimpembe said: “I was not made aware of this decision, that is completely wrong… Despite that, I will always respect the club’s decisions.”
Galtier added: “He deserves to have that armband when Marquinhos isn’t there because he chose to stay.”
But he has now completely reversed his original decision to make Mbappe vice-captain. PSG hosted Lille in Ligue 1 on Sunday afternoon and with Marquinhos unavailable with a hamstring injury, it was expected that Mbappe would captain the side at the Parc des Princes.
However, when the teams emerged from the tunnel, Kimpembe was wearing the captain’s armband.
The captain confusion is just the latest example of PSG’s dysfunctional nature this season. GOAL France have reported that Marquinhos is furious with his defending partner Kimpembe for undermining his captaincy by disobeying his orders and apologizing to fans over loudspeakers after a defeat by Monaco.
Neymar is unhappy with Mbappe as the two have an ongoing feud which began when they quarreled over penalty taker order in a Ligue 1 clash earlier this season – with Mbappe wanting the Brazilian to sell last summer and get a new one No.9 signed in his place.
Meanwhile, Neymar recently revealed that he and Marquinhos were embroiled in a dispute with Luis Campos after the PSG sporting director stormed into the dressing room following last weekend’s 3-1 defeat by Monaco.
“It happened. We didn’t agree with what was said at the time, so we discussed it,” said Neymar.
“We’ve lost a couple of games and we’re frustrated by that. We want to win all the time. When defeats like this come, it hurts, so discussions are part of it. That can help us improve as a team. I think it helped because we sorted things out. We know what we’re all thinking.
“In terms of blocking things like that in the dressing room, sometimes there are things that get into the press and they can go viral very quickly. If there is such information, we are angry. It’s my sixth season here at PSG and it’s difficult. Sometimes things came out at important moments, like before a final. But I don’t know what happened.”
PSG are eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 but could be eliminated from the Champions League round of 16 after a 1-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich in the first leg on Tuesday.