Neymar defended for poker game after UCL loss

Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier defended Neymar aft helium was pictured retired precocious playing poker and past successful McDonald's a time aft their Champions League nonaccomplishment to Bayern Munich.

PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe said aft the lucifer that it was important that the players were "sleeping and eating well" to retrieve up of their Ligue 1 lucifer against Lille connected Sunday.

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, much (U.S.)

However, Galtier was speedy to unopen down immoderate relation betwixt Mbappe's comments and Neymar's actions pursuing the Champions League tie.

"You can't and I'm not going to subordinate Kylian's statement, the words helium had successful the dressing country with the representation of Ney successful a accelerated nutrient restaurant," Galtier told a quality league connected Friday.

"I person spoken to Ney. I told him what I thought. Ney has the close successful his time of recovery, of rest, helium is passionate astir poker, helium has the close to play poker.

"And past I told him what I thought astir that representation that came out. And that's betwixt maine and him. But I americium convinced that determination is nary nexus betwixt Kylian's connection and the photograph that came out."

PSG volition beryllium hoping to enactment their midweek disappointment against Bayern down them arsenic they question to extremity a tally of 3 consecutive defeats successful each competitions erstwhile they big in-form Lille.

The French champions person suffered 3 successive defeats successful the aforesaid play for the archetypal clip since precocious 2011.

Following the decision to Bayern, Mbappe said helium rushed himself backmost from injury to diagnostic successful the crippled and Galtier said the France planetary volition play connected Sunday.

"We person to triumph this weekend, and you person much accidental to triumph erstwhile Kylian is determination than without Kylian," helium added. "So Kylian volition play."

Information from Associated Press was included successful this report.