PSG Boss Galtier Explains Neymar Demotion to Bench

Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier has explained his decision to drop Neymar to the bench for Saturday’s 3-0 win at Nantes in Ligue 1.

The 30-year-old Brazilian forward was a conspicuous absentee as PSG maintained its strong start to the season with a Kylian Mbappe double and another strike from Nuno Mendes.

Neymar started on the bench but came on in the 63rd minute for Mbappe, with the PSG boss explaining the rotation was necessary with the busy fixture impacted by the World Cup in November and December.

“You say that all this is new, but it is an obligation in relation to the busy schedule for everyone,” Galtier told Canal +.

“We play a lot, every three days then every four days. Everyone understands that they will not be able to play all the 95-minute matches.

“I spoke about it twice. The first time with each player, the second with the whole group, to tell them that it was okay to be like that and that you had to have the right attitude. And also value the participation of your team-mates.”

The win means PSG remain top of Ligue 1 with 16 points from six games alongside Olympique Marseille who won 2-0 at Auxerre.

“It was very important, with the build-up of matches, this second away match of the week,” Galtier said.

“Winning of course is essential. Our competition won so we always need to be there, it was obviously a match in the lead-up to the Champions League, which will take place in three days, so it was important to remain serious and not allow our opposition much hope.

“We were able to score quite quickly and then the fact that we were playing with 11 against 10 obviously became a huge advantage. Then scoring the second goal quite quickly also allowed the match to drop in intensity and risk. That allowed me to coach in the way that I wanted to.”