The PSG-Neymar divide: French media agree on the challenge
The French press coincided today on some of the problems facing PSG in the absence of Brazilian star, Neymar Jr, And this was not confined to the sporting relationship.
Neymar's injury, the one that will prevent him from being with his team for the return leg of the Champions League Last 16 clash against Real Madrid, is a major problem for the French club. And, according to the national press, this goes beyond the sporting consequences, with the unfortunate incident for the Brazilian having brought to light the complicated relationship between the player and the club, with a week of contradictory statements from both sides.
Goodbye Paris...but for how long?
Despite the best efforts of PSG president Al-Khelaifi to include all necessary parties in the decision about how to proceed with the injury for his best and quickest recovery, there are more hints about a distant relationship that exists right now between the player and the club. L'Equipe takes this idea onto its front cover with a headline that is open to various interpretations: "Au revoir Paris", it reads, "Goodbye Paris". The Brazilian's main aim it seems is getting himself ready for the World Cup in Russia.
This headline can certainly refer to the potential farewell to what remains of the season with PSG, although it is just as easy to relate it to the doubts surrounding the player's future in the French capital following the Fifa showpiece this summer. The paper goes into detail about the pressures exerted on the PSG hierarchy by the player's representatives to accept their desire to go ahead with surgical intervention.
Le Parisien also talks about internal tensions at the club shown by the way in which the injury 'crisis' has been managed. This was most obviously seen with coach, Unai Emery making statements which were almost immediately contradicted by those closest to the player, principally his father.
Stars not aligning
In terms of the potentially season-defining match on Tuesday, despite the loss of Neymar being a huge disappointment, PSG have a number of players that can step in to the starting line-up. Di Maria, Draxler or Pastore could grace many a top starting XI. But the more general issue facing Al-Khelaifi, and one that is affecting the squad - as has been seen from various player coments in recent days - is about the strained relationship between club and record-breaking signing, where objectives don't appear to be aligned.
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