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Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winger Jerome Rothen has pinpointed defensive concerns regarding Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
The Parisians secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages with an emphatic 7-2 home win over Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday (October 25). Both Messi and Mbappe scored twice, while Neymar and Carlos Soler netted once each during the contest.
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Despite dominating with 62% possession and 21 overall shots, PSG received flak for their jittery performance at the back. Maccabi Haifa registered 13 shots and scored two goals through Abdoulaye Seck.
Speaking on RMC Sport's Rothen s'enflamme program, Rothen hit out at the offensive trio for their lack of pressing off the ball. He said:
"With the ball, you realize that they can hurt. On the other hand, the real problem for PSG is without the ball. How do they fare when they lose the ball? Do the three in front want to help the collective to recover it? Today [against Maccabi Haifa], no. This team is too fragile."
Rothen claimed that Christophe Galtier's side are passive in their defensive phase of play and offer their opposition a lot of leeway. He added:
"When there is rhythm and technical quality in front, they find themselves in danger too quickly. They retreat too easily and they concede too many chances. That's an area for improvement."
Overall, PSG won 41 total duels and tallied 19 successful tackles during their recent clash against Maccabi Haifa. Messi, Mbappe and Neymar won a combined 12 duels and attempted zero tackles.
Offensively, the troika has scored a whopping 40 goals so far in addition to 26 assists.
PSG loanee Ander Herrera dismisses infighting reports involving Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar
Speaking to ESPN, PSG loanee Ander Herrera discarded reports of conflicts involving Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. He said:
"I used to read the stories in the media when I was there, that there was a problem or a fight in the dressing room. I was in the dressing room, and there was no fight. They exaggerate everything. I'm not there any more, but I read the stories as well, and I don't trust them."
Herrera, who is on a season-long loan at Athletic Bilbao, asserted that the trio respect each other for their respective talents. He added:
"Of course, in football, you cannot be friends with every single teammate that you have been with during your career. But the respect is always there. And my experience is that they respect each other."
Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar are next set to feature in their team's upcoming Ligue 1 home clash against Troyes on Saturday (October 29).
