Asked about the antennas of France Bleu Paris, Leonardo reacted to the latest news from the club in the capital, in particular the fight for the title in Ligue 1. The sports director of PSG does not see the competition with Lille, Lyon and Monaco as a bad thing.
On the contrary, “I think it enhances the last few years when we won Ligue 1. It's the demonstration that it's not like that.
not as easy as they say.
If you can't afford it, it's also difficult for others.
With Lille, which is also constant, Lyon, it becomes an interesting championship.
I don't want to hide behind the pandemic, but when we look at March 11, where we qualified in C1 quarterfinals, we've been in a marathon since… incredible. ”
Paris Saint-Germain, currently third in the championship (54 points), is four points behind the Lille leader (58 pts).
Lyon is inserted between the two formations in the leading group (55 pts) while Monaco is on the lookout (52 pts).
The fight for the title is "exciting"
This battle does not influence the group of Mauricio Pochettino who intends to converse his title of Ligue 1 champion: “Yes, it's fascinating.
I think Paris is one of the favorites.
We arrive in April with a lot of competitions: we will find ourselves on the traffic of decisive matches.
If we look at the last days, Lille, Monaco and Lyon have accumulated the victories.
It is normal that the ambitions are the same.
The matches against them?
These are matches that happened in somewhat special conditions.
Lyon do not play the cups, Lille is still there for the important matches, Monaco has a series of victories: it is very interesting to see four teams so tight. "
Since the arrival of Qatar in 2011, Paris has failed to finish champion of France twice.
It was in 2012 when Montpellier achieved the feat, a performance achieved again by Monaco at the end of the 2016-2017 season.
If the reigning French champions are experiencing many unprecedented difficulties on a national level, this is not really the case in the Champions League where the teammates of Marquinhos won 4-1 against FC Barcelona in the round of 16 first leg. .
An ideal score at the dawn of the return match on March 10 at the Parc des Princes.
According to Leonardo, this result should not influence the squad compared to the club's previous failures at this stage of the competition.
“We will certainly talk about a lot of things about what happened in the other years.
It's crazy competition.
It has happened to other clubs.
Anything can happen in 3 weeks.
We have experience and we know it's always like that.
One must be attentive without thinking of the past.
We will try to confirm our result because it is an important objective for us. ”
Neymar's extension "on track"
The question on a possible renewal of the contract of the two Parisian stars was asked to the Brazilian sports director.
Regarding Kylian Mbappé who will come to the end of his contract at the end of the 2022 fiscal year, the subject is on the table, in full discussion according to the 51-year-old leader.
“We talk about the contract.
We've been talking for a long time.
I think we are mainly moving forward in terms of being clear about our position, it is always clearer.
What do we want?
I think everyone knows how it goes and here I think we will arrive at the moment when we have to take a position, a decision.
I think we get closer to that moment each time and it's normal that it's like that. "
Asked about this, the world champion said "to be in full reflection" about what he wants to do in the coming years.
The Neymar case is different.
Free from any contract in June 2022, discussions about an extension of the Brazilian are more advanced according to the Parisian sports director: “We'll see when it's decided.
It's on the right track, but in the end he makes up his mind after signing and it's not yet.
We must also see for Di Maria and for Bernat.
The idea is to get to the end as quickly as possible.
We intend to renew all four of them. "
According to RMC Sport, an agreement for a period of four years has been reached between the two parties.
Information that has still not been confirmed, to date, by the club or the player.
Read also
Should we be worried about PSG, beaten by Monaco?