A stomach virus depleted the squad, but that’s no excuse for a club with such high standards. What is certain is that this latest setback has shown that there are fractures in the dressing room.
Lack of aggressiveness at PSG
The new year is still going poorly for Paris Saint-Germain, who have now lost three and drawn one of their seven league fixtures in 2023, as well as being eliminated in the last 16 of the Coupe de France. This is all with the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich just around the corner, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi injured and a sea of doubts in their form. The latest setback came in Monaco, where the 3-1 defeat stung. A stomach virus depleted the squad, but that’s no excuse for a club with such high standards. What is certain is that this latest setback has shown that there are fractures in the dressing room. According to reports, there was a heated discussion between some members of the squad and sporting director Luis Campos, who accused the players of their “lack of aggressiveness”, among other things.
Campos’ criticism brought out the full fury of Neymar
This was different from everyone’s liking, notably the Brazilian duo Marquinhos and Neymar, for whom PSG’s problem was not aggression. Apparently, the two parties exchanged heated words in Portuguese, the protagonists’ mother tongue. The exchange surprised several members of the staff due to its intensity. Neymar had come off the pitch angry, and he was seen making gestures and swearing at certain stages of the match. He even used critical words against some of his teammates. Young French striker Hugo Ekitike was one of the worst affected. Campos’ criticism brought out the full fury of the Brazilian, and although it initially stayed in the dressing room, it has now come to light. The club wanted to present a calmer image by bringing out one of the captains to speak, such as Presnel Kimpembe.
“The most important thing is to remain united, despite everything that is said, despite everything that is happening, that is the message,” he said, although, behind the scenes, it is a different story. PSG face a tough test on Tuesday against Bayern, and not at the best time. Tensions in the dressing room, doubts over form and injuries to their two main players need to be helping. The first big final of the season for the Parisians is already here.