"The front 3 don't defend" – PSG superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar blasted by Reims star after 1-1 draw
Reims ace Yunis Abdelhamid has aimed a dig at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) trio Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar after his team's 1-1 Ligue 1 draw on Sunday (January 29).
The Parisians slumped to their third draw of the ongoing 2022-23 Ligue 1 season, maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the standings. After Neymar scored the opener six minutes post the break, Marco Verratti was sent off near the hour-mark. Folarin Balogun netted an equalizer deep in injury-time to force the hosts to share the spoils.
Folarin @balogun wouldn’t be denied 😤
𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕-𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔 #PSGSDR https://t.co/xonFxzkimn
During a post-match press conference, Abdelhamid asserted that Reims made the most of Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar's reluctance to help their PSG teammates in defense. He told reporters:
"It was easy to work the ball out of the defence because the front three don't defend. We knew on our side that if we passed this first line, they no longer participate in the collective defensive effort. We worked on that. We wanted to exploit it and that's what we managed to do. That's why we created so many chances."
Meanwhile, Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe are in fine form in the ongoing 2022-23 season. While the Argentine has scored 13 goals and laid out 14 assists in 22 games, the Brazilian has registered 17 goals and 15 assists in 25 matches. The ex-Monaco man, on the other hand, has netted a whopping 25 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions.
The Parisians troika are next likely to be in action against Montpellier in a Ligue 1 tie at the Stade de la Mosson on Wednesday (February 1).
#PSGSDR
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐍𝐌 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 ✨
🔜 #PSGSDR https://t.co/5tfEjohX0n
Former PSG midfielder hits out at Messi, Mbappe and Neymar's defensive frailties
Speaking on Rothen s'enflamme, former PSG ace Jean-Michel Larque slammed Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar for their lack of defensive contributions. Pinpointing the Parisians' problems, he said:
"[Sergio] Ramos' performance crystallizes criticism, but I wouldn't want to blame all the ills, all the responsibilities of an unbalanced team on a single player. We often speak, tactically, of an unbalanced team with three superstar attackers who don't defend. There is a defence which is still in great difficulty because the effort of their leaders is constantly focused on the names in front."
Claiming his erstwhile club's UEFA Champions League campaign is in trouble due to their over-reliance on the offensive trio, Larque said:
"You only win a competition when you have guys who are able to make a difference, but you only win a big competition when you have a solid defence. However, from [Gianluigi] Donnarumma to Ramos to even Marquinhos from time to time, it breaks my heart to say it, but PSG don't have a defence which gives hope of a great performance in the Champions League. I hope I'm wrong."