MY ACCOUNT
Christophe Galtier angrily articulated his frustration about the latest Kylian Mbappe transfer speculation as the Paris Saint-Germain boss questioned why his point of view is never believed.
In his first season with PSG, Galtier has had to cope with reports and rumours of unrest within his squad, and this week saw newspaper claims from Spain that Mbappe is once again thinking about a future away from Paris.
That seemed improbable when the France striker signed a new contract in May, having been urged to do so by no less an authority than France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.
The 23-year-old turned his back on a possible free transfer to Real Madrid, but he has at times appeared unhappy this season, and now there are suggestions he would welcome a move away from PSG as soon as January.
Galtier has already scoffed at such talk, and he has claimed Mbappe’s focus is where it should be, on delivering results for the French champions.
Those results have tailed off at an unfortunate time, with a pair of Champions League draws against Benfica coming either side of a 0-0 stalemate with Ligue 1 strugglers Reims.
Ahead of Sunday’s Classique against Marseille, Galtier was asked how he coped with the incessant news cycle, the focus on the team, and situations such as that with Mbappe.
“You have to have experience and be a certain age to be able to manage these things,” he said, before launching into a tirade about media coverage.
“What I’d like to say is you never speak about football. You ask me lots of questions. I’m not talking about you individually, but you, the media.
“I’ve been here many times as the Paris Saint-Germain coach and I have a feeling that match after match, press conference after press conference, we have to speak for 10 or 15 minutes and for maybe one minute about football. It is topics away from football.
“Whatever I say to you, you don’t believe me, because you write the opposite and you say the opposite. Whether it is the written press, the radio, television, you say the opposite of what I say.
“So when I say that this [player] is well, they get on well, they are serious, they are professional, they have solidarity, it interests nobody. Other things are written.
“I am not here to comment on rumours. To answer your question about Kylian Mbappe, there is a rumour that came out before the game [against Benfica on Tuesday]. He had the best answer. He was named man of the match. He played well, he put in a great performance and showed solidarity.
“As for what is happening away from that, you have the right to talk about other things, but when you ask me questions I answer honestly. I have lots of faults, but I am very honest. When I say it, it is true. But when I say those things, nothing is written in the press, and you often see the opposite anyway.
“So to answer about Kylian Mbappe, have I spoken to him regarding the rumour, no.
“I am very proud to be the coach of Paris Saint-Germain and to be in charge of these players. Please, write that and let’s talk about football.”
Talking about football does not always make for comfortable reading either. Galtier has won just four of his 25 encounters as a coach against Marseille in Ligue 1 (D10 L11), a 16 per cent win-rate, and he only has a worse such ratio against Auxerre (D4 L1 in 5 games).
Previous clashes have been during his time in charge of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice, however.
As PSG boss, the expectations are different, and the leaders will be expected to get the better of a side who sit third heading into the weekend.
Galtier said PSG have been in a “very intense” spell of games, but he recognised the same applies for Marseille, who are also involved in the Champions League.
Sergio Ramos misses out through suspension this week after his red card against Reims, but Lionel Messi should be back from a calf injury.
Messi trained on Friday and barring any problems on Saturday he will be in Galtier’s squad.
“It’s the match that everyone looks forward to in the French league,” said Galtier. “When I wasn’t the Paris Saint-Germain coach, I was always excited to watch it. It is the Classique. Everybody is excited about it.”
Galtier, who hails from Marseille, was adamant the vibe in the PSG dressing room is one of unity rather than division.
“Of course we don’t all kiss each other every day, but things are going much better than elsewhere,” he said.
“It is going much better than you might write or imagine. Kylian Mbappe is doing very well.”
