KEY POINTS

  • Lionel Messi recently won the World Cup with Argentina
  • He returned to Paris earlier this week
  • Messi has netted 12 goals and 14 assists for PSG this season

Lionel Messi and Neymar will not be a part of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) side that will take on Chateauroux in a Coupe de France match Friday.

Both Messi and Neymar are slowly transiting to club action following their World Cup campaign in Qatar and PSG do not want to risk playing the duo in a domestic cup competition against a third-tier opposition.

Neymar made one appearance since the 2022-23 season resumed post the marquee event, while Messi only returned to Paris earlier this week.

PSG's first fixture after the World Cup was a Ligue 1 meeting with Strasbourg. While Neymar started the game, he received a red card and was out of PSG's subsequent league game against Lens, which the table-toppers lost 3-1.

Ahead of the Coupe de France game, PSG boss Christophe Galtier said he wants Messi to be fully fit for their upcoming Ligue 1 clash with Angers. The Parc des Princes side would not want to take the Ligue 1 matches lightly, especially since they lost their previous game to Lens and allowed the second-placed side to cut down the deficit to just four points.

"Leo trained yesterday and today. He won't play tomorrow. We're making sure he's ready for the next game. We'll take stock. I'll be very attentive to what he's going to do, but we want him to be available for the next match," Galtier told reporters.

Neymar missed Brazil's last two group games because of a sprained ankle and Galtier said he wants the Brazilian forward to take rest and treat the issue.

"Neymar's absence was planned, like all the players present at the World Cup. We had decided that Ney was going to treat his sprained ankle during this period," the PSG boss added.

Lionel Messi and Neymar were among the goals, and Kylian Mbappe also scored twice, as PSG beat Maccabi Haifa 7-2
AFP

Neymar was in great form this season for both PSG and Brazil and Galtier would want him to be fully fit for the remainder of the season. The former FC Barcelona forward has netted 15 goals and provided 13 assists in 21 matches for PSG in the 2022-23 campaign.

Having played two games fewer than Neymar this season for PSG, Messi has been involved in 26 goals: 14 assists and 12 goals in 19 competitive appearances.

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