- Title: Pochettino leaves open possibility of Messi debut at Brest
- Date: 19th August 2021
- Summary: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE (AUGUST 19, 2021) (REUTERS) FORWARDS LIONEL MESSI AND NEYMAR RUNNING AT TRAINING PLAYERS INCLUDING FORWARD KYLIAN MBAPPE RUNNING / MESSI, NEYMAR AND CENTRE-FORWARD MAURO ICARDI TRAINING VARIOUS OF TEAM DOING DRILLS MESSI, MIDFIELDER MARCO VERRATTI AND NEYMAR TRAINING PSG COACH, MAURICIO POCHETTINO, ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PSG COACH, MAURICIO POCHETTINO, SAYING: "Well, we haven't decided the squad yet. We will be announcing it now, in a bit after the press conference. We will assess whether he (Lionel Messi) can be a part of it." POCHETTINO LISTENING POCHETTINO: "I think that what he brings, everyone knows it. Leo's presence here with us, we all know who Leo is, what he represents, we talked about it a lot in the last few days. Everything is positive. There is a good atmosphere in the squad and he has settled in well and quickly. We are very happy about the way everyone is working here." NEYMAR, MESSI, ICARDI, DEFENDER PRESNEL KIMPEMBE AND MIDFIELDERS ANGEL DI MARIA AND JULIAN DRAXLER TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PSG COACH, MAURICIO POCHETTINO, SAYING: "The connection was quick and there is a very good feeling in the locker room with all of his teammates. And when there is talent in a team like ours, the good atmosphere is not only in the locker room, but also on the field. So yes I am happy about how he's settled and the relationship with the group." VARIOUS OF NEYMAR, DI MARIA AND MPABBE TRAINING PLAYERS INCLUDING MESSI, ICARDI AND DRAXLER TRAINING
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2021 14:42
- Keywords: Brest Messi PSG training
- Location: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE
- City: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EQY2ZWF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Lionel Messi may be in the Paris St Germain squad for their Ligue 1 visit to Brest on Friday (August 20), manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Thursday (August 19) but he remained tight-lipped on whether the six-times Ballon d'Or winner would finally make his debut.
The 34-year-old Messi is yet to feature for the French giants after joining them from Barcelona earlier this month and he was presented to the fans ahead of PSG's 4-2 home win over Strasbourg on Saturday (August 14).
"We haven't decided the squad yet and we will assess whether Messi can be a part of it," Pochettino told a news conference when asked if his Argentine compatriot would be involved in the match against Brest.
"Everything is positive. There is a good atmosphere in the squad and he has settled in well and quickly. There is a very good feeling."
Messi had not trained for a month after steering Argentina to the Copa America title with a 1-0 win over rivals Brazil in the final.
Having won 10 LaLiga and four Champions League titles during his 17-year career at Barcelona, Messi left them on a free transfer after the Catalan club's president Joan Laporta said they could no longer afford to keep him.
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