'They played for each other" - PSG superstars Messi, Neymar and Mbappe praised for 'working hard' and showing 'desire' after 'perfect match' against Lille
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Christophe Galtier has praised his superstar trio of Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe as they helped the club register a thumping 7-1 win over Lille in Ligue 1. The PSG manager lauded his team for working hard and wanting to score more despite having a comfortable lead over their opponents early in the game.
Mbappé: three goals
Neymar: two goals, three assists
Messi: one goal, one assist
PSG's front three ran riot vs. Lille 😤 https://t.co/5rnwip1MTT
The trio came together to help the team register another win amidst rumors of an internal rift. Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick, Brazilian Neymar scored two goals and provided three key assists while Argentine Lionel Messi scored a goal and pulled off a wonderful assist at the Stade-Pierre-Mauroy on Monday. Courtesy of a wholesome performance by the team, PSG registered their third win of the season in as many matches to stay on top of the Ligue 1 table.
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Christophe Galtier: “Tonight Messi, Mbappé, and Neymar played for each other. Even when the match was almost over, there were defensive races and alliances between them. I liked their desire to play together.” 🇫🇷🗣 https://t.co/ovOazk0L9l
Speaking about the trio and the whole team's performance against Lille, PSG manager Galtier told reporters (via Goal):
"The set-up changes with the presence of Kylian Mbappé [return from injury]. We’re trying to find the best balance possible. Leo, Kylian and Ney played like this last season but in a different formation.''
The French manager said that he was happy to see the three of them 'work together' and show more intensity despite taking a healthy lead. He added:
''Tonight, they played for each other. Even when the game was decided, they tracked back and worked together. I enjoyed their desire to play together.''
Rumors of an internal rift between the three players at PSG arose due to Mbappe's rising stature in the team and the two senior players getting overshadowed. However, the French manager believes that the team has put everything behind them and is focused on delivering in the coming matches. He further added:
"After our match against Montpellier, I was voluntarily following all of the debates [“penaltygate”]. But I quickly felt in the first training session of the week that it was already behind us.''
"We had a perfect week in terms of intensity and in the behaviour a team should have. I was waiting to see if that perfect week would give a perfect match. That turned out to be the case."
Former PSG player and coach Vahid Halilhodzic praises Lionel Messi for selfless contribution to the team
Former PSG player and coach Vahid Halilhodzic has praised Lionel Messi for his selfless contribution to the team as the French club registered their third win of the season. Messi had a difficult first season in the French capital, however, the new season has started well for the 7-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Vahid Halilhodžić (former PSG player & coach): “Messi is like a football school. In his position, he focuses more on helping Neymar and Mbappé rather than scoring and thinking about the Ballon d’Or. This is what I saw yesterday.” [@lequipe] https://t.co/t16McoD7w7
Praising Messi for dropping back and helping Neymar and Mbappe score early goals, the former manager said:
“Messi is like a football school. In his position, he focuses more on helping Neymar and Mbappé rather than scoring and thinking about the Ballon d’Or. This is what I saw yesterday.''