Neymar trains on the sidelines and PSG justifies it with a viral process

This weekend, PSG are back in Ligue 1 action as Luis Enrique's project gets underway. They face Lorient at the Parc des Princes and the main attraction of the game is that their two best players may not be in the squad. Neither Kylian Mbappe nor Neymar are in the general dynamic, each with their own issues and with market reports suggesting they may be on their way out of the team.

The most recent news has been about the Brazilian, who, on Friday morning, trained inside the team's facilities due to a "viral process". At least, this is the justification given by the club's medical report, which lists the absences of all the players who, for medical reasons, could not be at the orders of their coach. They are Nuno Mendes, Nordi Mukiele, Alexandre Letellier, Juan Bernat and Presnel Kimpembe.

"Neymar Jr is recovering from a viral process and is training indoors this morning," reads the statement, which makes no mention of Mbappe, whose future is up in the air and more complex than ever. Last Thursday, 'Le Parisien' leaked that the striker is clear that he will remain in the squad until the summer of 2024, when the option opens for him to sign for Real Madrid as a free agent, which would close the door on a departure this month.

The solution is not ideal for PSG, who, as has been reported in the French press since July, want him to renew or accept a transfer that would boost the club's budget. Luis Enrique, with a number of attacking players, has plenty of alternatives to build his starting XI against Lorient. There is only a day to go before the game and it is unclear whether he will call up either of his two big stars.

 

August 11, 2023