PARIS: Lionel Messi will not be included in the Paris St Germain squad for Friday’s Ligue 1 match in Brest, French newspaper L’Equipe reported, adding that his former Barcelona team-mate Neymar was also excluded.
L’Equipe added on its website that Euro 2020-winning Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been called up alongside fellow countryman Marco Verratti, Marquinhos and Angel Di Maria.
Verratti was also part of the Italian squad that beat England in the Euro 2020 final on penalties at Wembley, while Di Maria scored Argentina’s winner in a 1-0 win over hosts Brazil in the Copa final. America.
On Thursday, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino had left open the possibility of Messi playing against Brest when he declined to specify whether the six-time winner of the Ballon d’Or would finally make his debut.
34-year-old Messi is not yet in attendance for the French giants after joining them from Barcelona earlier this month and was introduced to fans ahead of PSG’s 4-2 home win against Strasbourg on Saturday.
“Everything is positive,” Pochettino said at a press conference following PSG’s retirement. “There is a good atmosphere in the team and (Messi) settled in well and quickly. There is a great feeling.”
Messi hadn’t trained for a month after helping Argentina triumph in Copa America.
After winning 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League titles during his 17-year career at Barcelona, Messi left them on a free transfer after Catalan club president Joan Laporta said they could no longer afford to keep him. .
Pochettino also hinted that Kylian Mbappe could drop PSG in the current transfer window, with the World Cup winner in France a goal for Real Madrid, according to reports.
“Mbappe is our player and I want him to be here this season,” said Pochettino.
He’s missing another year on his contract. Even if he does not renew it, he is still a PSG player and we are very happy with him and from what I can understand he is happy with us.
“He is very calm and is preparing well for tomorrow’s match.”
PSG can provisionally take a three-point advantage at the top of the table if they beat Brest and take three out of three wins at the start of their season to regain the league title from last-season champions Lille.
He is currently third with six points, behind leaders Angers and the Clermont Foot promoted by goal difference.
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