Mbappe remains top dog above Neymar at PSG
FT Desk
- Updated: 30 Aug 2022 02:13 BST
- 3 min read
"It's Kylian No.1 and Neymar No.2," so said Christophe Galtier after Paris Saint-Germain's 1-1 draw with Monaco on Sunday night.
The dynamic at PSG has slowly shifted in Mbappe's favour since both players arrived in the French capital in 2017.
Back then, Neymar was a world-record €222 million acquisition from Barcelona while Mbappe - admittedly one of the brightest prospects in world football - was on loan from Monaco before making his move permanent the following summer.
Neymar and Dani Alves reportedly bullied Mbappe in his early days, calling him "Donatello" due to his apparent likeness to the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle. But in spurning Real Madrid's advances this summer, Mbappe was promised top billing at the Parc des Princes.
Neymar - who's contract has also rolled over until 2027 after attempts to offload him to Juventus and others were unsuccessful - has hit the ground running this season, contributing eight goals and six assists at a rate of one every 32 minutes he has played.
He scored his sixth goal in all competitions on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Mbappe's former club Monaco, converting a penalty which he had earned. But it appears that will not become the status quo anytime soon.
'Kylian No.1 and Neymar No.2'
"The hierarchy's been well established: it's Kylian No.1 and Neymar No.2," said Mauricio Pochettino's successor as head coach, Galtier.
"But afterwards, there's the reality of the match and the moment. I saw that they spoke and that Ney made the decision to shoot, but after discussing with Kylian.
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"I appreciated Kylian's attitude in congratulating Ney and Ney's to have thanked him. They're great players and it's also up to them to decide based on how they feel. The most important thing is that Neymar scored it and that Kylian came to congratulate him."
PSG insist there is no dressing room schism, but Angel Di Maria - a Neymar ally - has already been allowed to leave for Juventus on a free this summer, whilst Mauro Icardi leads a lengthy list of those still for sale.
