Paris Saint-Germain’s two best players Kylian Mbappe and Neymar head but will it cause internal conflict in the camp?
A little about the topic
While there are clear benefits to pooling world-class cash and talent into one all-star squad, the presence of big personalities and egos – like those possessed by PSG forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe – can always cause problems. The reigning Ligue 1 champions have figured out what their value is in 2022-23, with rollovers occurring in the ranks of the Parc des Princes. Why are they hitting heads and what has been done to try and resolve a perceived feud that could irreparably damage collective harmony?
What happened?
There was talk of tension in the camp before matters reached boiling point in the Ligue 1 clash between Montpellier and Paris Saint-Germain on 13 August 2022. In the 21st minute of this competition, World Cup winner Kylian fluffed up his lines from the penalty spot, seeing his efforts saved by Jonas Omlin. Paris Saint-Germain then awarded another spot pick a couple of minutes before the interval, with the Brazilian this time deciding to pick up the ball and take matters into his own hands.
The Frenchman was, despite his previous blunder, visibly annoyed at the penalty suspension and went as far as his insults into the Brazilian’s ear before Neymar brushed him off and properly found the back of the net. There was also an incident during the game where, after being missed on a through ball by midfielder Vitinha, Kylian stopped running and threw his arms up into the air.
The drama continued past the final whistle, with reports surfacing that Ramos had to intervene when Neymar and Kylian threatened to come to the dressing room for kicks with heated questions about alleged petulance acts.
Things didn’t stop there, as the Brazilian liked a supporter’s tweet suggesting a lucrative new Kylian’s contract – which the player signed on the back of a strong connection with a free transfer to Real Madrid – left him feeling like the owner of Paris Saint-Germain. There have been reports of power going into the Frenchman’s head, with at one stage his conversations pushing his South American counterpart to move out of Paris during the summer transfer window.