As a good student, one day ahead of his program, Kylian Mbappé found the Paris club's training center on December 31 for some solo exercises.
His enthusiasm is excellent news for coach Mauricio Pochettino, whose good results in the first part of the season owe a lot to the world champion, who is both his top scorer and passer.
Without the star striker, suspended in Lorient (1-1) on December 22, PSG has reached the limits of its stammering collective, which continues to worry one and a half months before the knockout stages of the Champions League against the Real Madrid, February 15. But with him on the pitch, it's hard to imagine seeing the two-time title holders lose their footing in an eighth team in their group of National 2, the equivalent of the Fourth Division. At the Rabine stadium, subject to the government gauge of 5,000 people, Paris should line up some good people: in addition to Mbappé, the internationals Marco Verratti, Presnel Kimpembe, Georginio Wijnaldum, Nuno Mendes, Keylor Navas or Gianluigi Donnarumma, who are expected all resumed on Friday.
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Promising
"
Titis
" from the training center could also benefit from playing time, like Xavi Simons, who was good among the amateurs of the Entente Feignies-Aulnoye (N3) in the previous round (3-0), on the 19th December.
On the other hand, the curious come for Lionel Messi will be disappointed.
The
Argentine
"
Pulga
" contracted the coronavirus during her family vacation in Rosario, her hometown.
The positive case of the seven-time Ballon d'Or, coupled with that of three other players, including Juan Bernat, sounded like a rude awakening after a "
fundamental
"
nine-day cut
for Pochettino.
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The technician made the bet of a late return for this first match of the calendar year, prepared with only two training sessions in the legs. “
The players respected their work plan during their rest. For tomorrow (Monday), we won't have any excuses. The players are prepared to play in the best possible way
, ”
Poche
explained
. “
I have absolute confidence in my players so that they have the right attitude on the pitch,
” he repeated. In addition to the delicate health situation which leaves the threat of a "
cluster
" within the group, its staff must manage the absence of Idrissa Gueye, Abdou Diallo and Achraf Hakimi, summoned to compete in the Cup.Africa of Nations (January 9-February 6) in Cameroon.
Pochettino will therefore have limited room for maneuver in the coming weeks.
But when it comes time to blow out his first candle on the Parisian bench, he is ready to wait until this spring to unwrap the gifts.
The Coupe de France, the “
most exciting
” of competitions as he called it, is one of the goals to be won in May.
This requires a successful restart at Vannes.