Messi, Neymar and Mbappe are not happy at PSG not because of conflicts in the dressing room, but there is another reason that few people know.
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have won the Ligue 1 title at PSG over the past two seasons but have failed to bring Champions League success to the French club.
Former PSG sporting director Leonardo believes the trio lacked the support and recognition from the club to create a positive environment during their time playing together.
Leonardo told Brazil’s Ge newspaper: “People have to understand, they need to feel comfortable. These players need a good mental state, they need support and they need recognition. And the people who should do that are the club, us and the coaches.”
But contrary to that, Neymar recently said that he and Messi “lived in hell” while working together at PSG. Messi also found it difficult to adapt to Paris and admitted that there had been “a rift in the relationship with the PSG fan group” over the past two seasons.
Both players were repeatedly booed and jeered by PSG fans after the team was eliminated from the Champions League.
Leonardo denied there was a battle of egos affecting harmony in the dressing room.
“These stars are not complicated,” Leonardo said. They solve many problems, not just create them, and if their problems are solved, everything will be over… They also have to be ready to have a winning spirit.
Messi left the French giants this summer to join Inter Miami as a free agent and Brazilian striker Neymar moved to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal for €90 million.
“I think he can maintain his form and competitiveness in Saudi Arabia and continue to play at a high level,” Leonardo said of Neymar.
Mr. Leonardo spent 3 years serving as PSG’s Sports Director from 2019 to 2022.