“Neymar and Messi bout to cook”, “Masterclass again” – PSG fans believe superstar duo will thrive in the absence of teammate during clash against Nice
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have announced their lineup for their Ligue 1 clash against OGC Nice tonight (October 1) with Kylian Mbappe dropped to the bench.
However, with Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. starting, fans are convinced the former Barcelona duo will thrive in Mbappe's absence.
Under new manager Christophe Galtier, the stellar attacking triumvirate seems to have hit its peak. They have already accounted for 25 goals between them this season in all competitions.
On the league front, Neymar leads the way with eight, followed by Mbappe on seven, with Messi behind on four, although he's been excellent creatively.
PSG’s XI vs. OGC Nice🔴🔵 PSG’s XI vs. OGC Nice
Donnarumma - Mukiele, Marquinhos, Ramos - Hakimi, Fabian, Vitinha, Bernat - Messi, Ekitike, Neymar.
Mbappe benched.
Despite their incredible form this season, there's a belief that Mbappe is holding them back, given the Frenchman's desire to play farthest upfront and score goals.
Messi and Neymar are often the drivers behind the 23-year-old's goalscoring prowess. However, given he's not starting tonight, fans believe the other two guys will be more effective.
The South American duo first linked up at Barcelona after Neymar's arrival from Santos in 2013. Over the next four years, along with Luis Suarez, they netted plenty of goals for the Spanish side.
They were the key behind the club's historic second treble in 2015. They rejoined forces last year when Messi joined PSG, four years after Neymar signed a world-record transfer with the club.
PSG fans are hoping to see them work their magic again tonight without Mbappe shimmying between their lines. Here are some of the best Twitter reactions:
@PSGhub mbappe benched himself?
@PSGhub Mpaypal 😭😭😭😭😭
@PSGhub Neymessi booom ♥️
@PSGhub Messi & Neymar bout to cook!
No Mbappe 🥳🥳🥳 twitter.com/PSGhub/status/…
Mpaypal benched back to back twitter.com/psghub/status/…
@PSGhub Neymar and Messi masterclass again
PSG stars caught in a rift with Messi the mediator
Rumors of a rift between Neymar and Mbappe were doing the rounds earlier in the season, especially after the fallout over a penalty kick.
Things got so heated between the pair that Sergio Ramos reportedly had to intervene in the dressing room as the stars continued to argue.
However, manager Christophe Galtier addressed the concern by holding a team meeting with Messi acting as the mediator to resolve their discontent.
Despite all this, Neymar and Mbappe continued to link up just fine on the field, which ultimately spells well for PSG and their form.