PSG coach insists no beef between Mbappé and Messi

PSG head coach Christophe Galtier downplayed rumors of a rift between Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. There were previous suggestions that the France star and the World Cup winner had beef because of Emi Martinez. The Argentina goalkeeper was oddly obsessed with Mbappé in the title celebrations.

Martinez openly mocked Mbappé multiple times throughout the post-match party in the locker room. The keeper even continued references to the Frenchman in Argentina’s bus parade in Buenos Aires. Mbappé, despite losing, scored a hat trick against Martinez in the World Cup Final.

PSG coach insists no tension between Messi and Mbappé

“There is no reason to mix everything up in the relationship between Kylian and Leo,” stated Galtier. “Kylian has a very good attitude having lost the World Cup.”

“When you lose a World Cup final, you have a reason to be very, very disappointed. He was very disappointed, but he knew how to go on and behave, and had a lot of class to congratulate Leo and that’s very good for the club and for the team.”

Messi still celebrating World Cup triumph

Along with dispelling rumors of tension between the two superstars, Galtier also claimed that Messi would not return to France until the beginning of January. “[Messi] had to return to Argentina for the celebrations, the receptions and we decided that he was going to be off until the 1st of January,” said Galtier in a press conference.

“And so he will come and join us, either on the 2nd or the 3rd, to be able to resume competition with us, when he will have had between 13 and 14 days of recovery.”

PSG play their first Ligue 1 game since the World Cup break on Wednesday. The reigning French champions host relegation battling Strasbourg. Messi’s first official match back with his club could be a French Cup fixture against Chateauroux. However, Galtier could opt to save his superstar for a league match against Angers on Jan. 11.

PHOTO: IMAGO / NurPhoto