"Sir your place is on the bench" - Neymar told by journalist he can't play alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe after duo shines in latest PSG win
French journalist Daniel Riolo has claimed that Neymar Jr. should not play alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) when he returns from injury.
Messi and Mbappe impressed for Les Parisiens in their 3-0 away win against Olympique Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday (February 26). The Frenchman grabbed a brace, while the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner netted a goal, with the duo assisting each other on all three occasions.
There were concerns about PSG's form going into the six-pointer against title contenders Marseille. However, they eventually emerged victorious, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe shining in Neymar's absence.
Riolo has previously claimed that the Parisians should stop playing all three forwards together. He believes that the team's performance against Igor Tudor's side is further proof that it is hard to get the best out of the trio when they start together.
The French journalist has thus urged Christophe Galtier to show the courage to bench the Brazilian when he returns from injury. He reckons the PSG manager should take authority and make bold decisions and said on French radio station RMC:
"We don't discover anything about the fact that the front three [Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe] acannot play together. For Galtier to show that he is the dimension of PSG, even when Neymar returns, he must tell him 'Sir your place is on the bench.'"
Riolo suggests Neymar is PSG's 'big problem'
Riolo also took digs at the former Barcelona superstar on his personal Twitter account. He suggested that the forward, who is sidelined due to an ankle injury, has been the reason for the Parisians' struggles. The journalist wrote:
"Good duo Messi-Mbappe …. Vitinha freed... I think we understand where PSG's big problem came from..."
Galtier will nevertheless be hopeful of having Neymar back fit for the second leg of the team's UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich. They currently trail 1-0 in the tie.
How have Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe fared this season?
Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have been in fine form for the Parc des Princes outfit this term. It is safe to say that the club's hopes of achieving success this season largely rely on them.
The Argentinian icon has made 28 appearances across all competitions for the French giants so far this campaign. He found the back of the net 17 times and provided 16 assists in those matches.
Mbappe, on the other hand, has 29 goals to his name in as many games. He has also provided seven assists for his teammates.