Christophe Galtier reacts to Neymar's late-night McDonald's trip & Kylian Mbappe comments
By Tom Gott
Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier has moved to defend Neymar from criticism after he was spotted playing poker and visiting McDonald's in the immediate aftermath of his side's 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.
Neymar failed to make an impact for PSG as they fell to their third consecutive defeat and has come under fire for his behaviour after the game, particularly after teammate Kylian Mbappe's seemingly innocent comments about the team in general.
“Our players have to be in good health for the return leg," Mbappe told Canal+ after the game. "Everyone needs to eat and sleep well. We’re going to work, get everyone back and get there to qualify.”
Fans have claimed that Mbappe's comments, which were made before Neymar's late-night antics, were a dig at the Brazilian, although Galtier has now attempted to cool tensions.
“What Kylian said in the mixed zone is exactly what he said in the locker room," Galtier said. "Words of great maturity so that everyone remains mobilized. They are welcome.
"I’m not going to associate Kylian’s statement with the photo of Ney in a fast-food restaurant. I spoke with Ney; I told him what I thought. He has the right, on his day off, to play poker, which he loves. I told him what I thought of this photo that came out. There is no confusion to be made.”
PSG's recent slump has seen Neymar's future in Paris brought into debate, with 90min reporting that a number of Premier League sides have been alerted to his potential availability ahead of the summer transfer window.
Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle have all been contacted by intermediaries over what would be one of the biggest deals of the summer.