- Title: PSG's Messi to be rested for French Cup match at Chateauroux
- Date: 5th January 2023
- Summary: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE (JANUARY 5, 2022) (REUTERS) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, CHRISTOPHE GALTIER, ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, CHRISTOPHE GALTIER, SAYING: "Concerning Leo, he trained yesterday and today. He had a little more than twelve days of recovery with his obligations to return home for the celebration. We wanted him to recover at home with his family. Obviously, he will not play tomorrow. Having discussed with him, we are making sure that he is ready for the following game. We'll see. We'll take stock of it." PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, CHRISTOPHE GALTIER, SAYING: "To lose when you are at PSG is really not good. We are finding it out, that's it. We are finding it out. We have an obligation of results, I don't have a desire, and that's what I told. a lot of players, I'm not trying to get them back, there are already players who didn't perform well last Sunday. That's the first thing. Secondly, the absence of some players for various reasons will give space to some young players, it's up to them to take advantage of it." GALTIER LISTENING TO REPORTER QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, CHRISTOPHE GALTIER, SAYING: "We should also, rightly, appreciate having Kylian (Mbappe) in our club, but also having him in France. Like Leo, he had a great World Cup. He was honoured on a personal level. On the fact that Kylian is attentive to what is going on around him, has he changed? No. He came back to the competition quickly. He wanted to play again quickly. Now he's recovering." GALTIER LISTENING TO REPORTER QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN COACH, CHRISTOPHE GALTIER, SAYING: "We have a Neymar who is just like he has been since the start of the season: serious, with the will to play. He was obviously keen to enter the two Ligue games. Unfortunately, he was sent off. He was very disappointed. I spoke to him about it. We are lucky to have a very committed Neymar, I repeat it, once again, as during the first part of this season. And obviously we pay attention to him physically. That's why he won't be able to participate in tomorrow's game." GALTIER THANKING AUDIENCE THEN LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 19th January 2023 14:10
- Keywords: Kylian Mbappe LBC Leo Messi Neymar PSG Soccer
- Location: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE
- City: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001058505012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Lionel Messi will be rested for Paris Saint-Germain's French Cup game at third division side Chateauroux as the Argentine forward needs more time to recover from his world Cup winning campaign, coach Christophe Galtier said on Thursday (January 5).
Messi, who lifted the World Cup on Dec. 18 at Lusail stadium in Qatar, took part in training over the last couple of days, but Galtier said he needed a bit more time to be ready to play competitively.
"He trained yesterday and today. He had a little more than twelve days of recovery with his obligations to return home for the celebration. We wanted him to recover at home with his family. Obviously, he will not play tomorrow," Galtier said ahead of Friday's trip to Chateauroux in the round of 64.
France forward Kylian Mbappe, who was on the losing side in the World Cup final, has been given a break and travelled to New York with friend and team mate Achraf Hakimi while Neymar skipped training on Thursday.
Ligue 1 leaders PSG, who suffered their first competitive loss this season when they were beaten 3-1 at second-placed RC Lens last Sunday, will be without their offensive trio for their next match against LB Chateauroux.
""Losing when you are at PSG is really not good," Galtier, who won the Cup twice as an assistant coach with Sochaux and Olympique Lyonnais, said.
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