Soccer

PSG arrive in Japan for three-game tour

Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé arrived in Japan with the PSG team and new head coach Christophe Galtier, where they’ll play against local Japanese teams.

PSG’s new head coach Christophe Galthier has arrived with the 25-player squad to Tokyo, Japan for a three-game tour. This will be Galthier’s first time coaching the team since he took over for Mauricio Pochettino this summer.

PSG and its trio of attackers, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, will play three preseason games against the J-League teams Kawasaki Frontale, Urawa Reds, and Gamba Osaka.

“The atmosphere here is fantastic,” said Neymar. “People are passionate about soccer, and I’m really happy to be here, with Paris, with my teammates, and we hope to have a good preseason so we can achieve everything we want this season.”

PSG will hold clinics as well as open a new academy during their 10-day stay in Japan. The first game of the tour will be on Wednesday, July 20 at Tokyo’s National Stadium where they’ll play against the defending J-League champions, Kawasaki.

After the stint in Japan, PSG will head to Tel Aviv to play Nantes in the French Super Cup on August 31.

“Japanese football is at a very high level, with players with good technique and speed,” said Galthier at a press conference in Tokyo. “I hope these matches will be good preparation for the French Super Cup in Tel Aviv.”