Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier has addressed matters relating to forward Neymar after a week of controversy.
Neymar’s name was again in the tabloids after people saw him at a poker tournament at the Hyatt Regency in Paris on Wednesday.
He was also spotted at a Mcdonald’s in the early hours of Thursday morning. It was a day after PSG lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Following the loss, Kylian Mbappe asked his teammates to eat and sleep right ahead of the return leg. Neymar did not heed that advice and was out late.
His dedication to the PSG cause came under scrutiny after the photos came out, coupled with allegations of excessive partying at his home.
“What Kylian said in the mixed zone is exactly what he said in the dressing room – I am not going to associate it with the team’s performance,” Galtier said (via L’Equipe).
“I’m not going to associate Kylian’s statement with Ney’s picture in a fast-food restaurant. I spoke to Ney. I told him what I thought.
“He has the right, on his day off, to play poker, which he is passionate about. I told him what I thought about the photo that came out. There is no need to mix things up.”
Neymar’s lifestyle and choices have caused debates at PSG, with many people feeling the player is not doing all he can to help the club.
The Ligue 1 champions wanted to sell him last summer but failed to find a suitor. They stuck with him, and he started the season in fine form.
However, after PSG suffered five losses already in 2023, including their last three in a row, the spotlight is on the Brazilian international and his way of life.
There are already rumours that the Ligue 1 champions will try to sell the 31-year-old again this summer. Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing him.
