Lionel Messi and PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi show no reaction to Kylian Mbappe's goal against Benfica
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and forward Lionel Messi's reaction to a goal by Kylian Mbappe has made waves.
Playing their fourth match in the UEFA Champions League group stage on Tuesday (October 11), PSG took the lead via a Mbappe penalty in the first half. Post the goal, the cameras pointed towards Messi and Al-Khelaifi in the stands and neither showed any outward signs of joy after the strike.
The game ended 1-1, as Messi watched on from the stands. He is currently out injured, with his return date yet to be announced by the Parisians.
FULL-TIME: @PSG_English 1-1 Benfica
The points are shared in this @ChampionsLeague match at the Parc des Princes
#PSGSLB I #UCL https://t.co/7MH69dUOIq
Why the reactions from the stands are a sign of worry for PSG
Kylian Mbappe has been in the news of late due to his unsettled situation in Paris. As per a report from Marca, the French forward is unhappy with his stifled role at the club. It added that he wishes to leave Paris in January itself.
Mbappe has played as a shadow forward for France alongside Olivier Giroud and has enjoyed plenty of freedom in that position. However, the situation is different when he's with the Parisians as he has to play the number nine role to accommodate Neymar Jr. and Lionel Messi in attack.
It prohibits Mbappe from moving in and out of positions and has led to him spending more time in the box. He often has to tussle with defenders to create openings for Neymar and Messi to exploit.
The Frenchman recently posted a cryptic story on Instagram, which he quickly deleted later on, with the caption including this hashtag:
"#Pivotgang"
Major controversy in France tonight over Kylian Mbappé’s now deleted Instagram story with the hashtag “pivot gang” following PSG’s 0-0 draw with Reims.
Mbappé recently explained his preference for playing alongside a target man, like Giroud, rather than being the centre forward. https://t.co/ivqk4uwiwt
Many viewed this as an indirect dig aimed at PSG boss Christophe Galtier's tactics and criticized Mbappe for disrespecting his manager.
Mbappe signed a new contract earlier this summer
The superstar Frenchman was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid earlier this summer.
His previous deal at the Parc des Princes was set to run down on May 31, 2022. Many expected the forward to run down his contract and join Real Madrid, who had tried to sign him multiple times previously, on a free transfer.
However, he opted to extend his stay with the French club instead, leaving Los Blancos red-faced. The new deal, which runs until the summer of 2025, saw Mbappe become the highest-paid player at PSG.