Pochettino hints at Messi debut
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Lionel Messi may be in the Paris Saint-Germain squad for its French Ligue 1 visit to Brest today, manager Mauricio Pochettino said but he remained tight-lipped on whether the six-time Ballon d鈥橭r winner would finally make his debut.
The 34-year-old Messi is yet to feature for the French giant after joining the club from Barcelona earlier this month and he was presented to fans ahead of PSG鈥檚 4-2 home win over Strasbourg last weekend.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 decided the squad yet and we will assess whether Messi can be a part of it,鈥 Pochettino told a news conference when asked if his Argentine compatriot would be involved in the match against Brest.
鈥淓verything is positive. There is a good atmosphere in the squad and he has settled in well and quickly. There is a very good feeling.鈥
Messi had not trained for a month after steering Argentina to the Copa America title with a 1-0 win over rival Brazil in the final.
Having won 10 La Liga and four UEFA Champions League titles during his 17-year career at Barcelona, Messi left on a free transfer after the Catalan club鈥檚 president Joan Laporta said they could no longer afford to keep him.
Pochettino also suggested speculation that Kylian Mbappe might leave the club in the current transfer window amounted to nothing, with the France World Cup winner a target for Real Madrid, according to media reports.
鈥淢bappe is our player and I want him to be here this season,鈥 said Pochettino.
鈥淗e has another year left on his contract. Even if he doesn鈥檛 renew it, he is still a PSG player and we are very pleased with him and from what I can understand, he is pleased with us.鈥
In Madrid, Mbappe was on the front page of leading sports dailies Marca and AS yesterday, with Real apparently hopeful of signing the 22-year-old striker before the transfer window closes in Europe on August 31.
鈥淭his period is part of football,鈥 Pochettino said of the transfer window.
鈥淟ots of things are said and I know from experience that some things happen and others don鈥檛.
鈥淜ylian is preparing for tomorrow鈥檚 game. The only conversations I have with Kylian are about football.鈥
PSG can provisionally go three points clear at the top of the table if it beats Brest to make it three wins out of three at the start of its campaign to wrestle the league title back from last season鈥檚 champion Lille.
It is currently third on six points, behind leader Angers and promoted Clermont Foot on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma says he left AC Milan after eight years with the Serie A side for PSG as he needed a change 鈥渢o develop, to improve and to become stronger.鈥
The 22-year-old joined PSG on a free transfer after helping Italy to the Euro 2020 title where he was named player of the tournament.
Reflecting on his time in Milan, Donnarumma told yesterday鈥檚 Corriere dello Sport: 鈥淚 stayed eight years there, it was my home, I have magnificent memories.
鈥淚鈥檒l always be a fan of the club. You can鈥檛 brush aside eight years, but I needed a change to develop, improve and become stronger.
鈥淚 felt the need for a change of scene, for a new reality.鈥
Donnarumma will be in competition for a place in Pochettino鈥檚 team with experienced Costa Rican Keylor Navas.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 an extra motivation, something which intrigues me,鈥 he told the paper.
Yet to make his debut for his new club he is fully aware his arrival at the Parc des Princes is expected to help PSG in its pursuit of a first ever UCL title.
鈥淟ast season the club didn鈥檛 win Ligue 1 but the real objective is the other one 鈥 the UCL,鈥 said the goalkeeper who has yet to figure in the competition.
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