Paris (AFP)

Small setback, Paris Saint-Germain will not be able to deepen the emerging complicity of its magical trio "MNM", because Lionel Messi, injured, leaves Neymar and Kylian Mbappé to leave without him in Metz, Wednesday (9:00 p.m.) for the 7th day of the League 1.

End of the controversy.

Why on earth did Mauricio Pochettino replace the "Pulga" against Lyon on Sunday (2-1 victory)?

Because he was shot in the left knee.

"After a strike, we saw that he was touching his knee, he felt that it was pulling behind," said the coach at a press conference.

The Argentinian spent Tuesday morning a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which "confirms the signs of bone contusion", explains the club in its medical bulletin, specifying that "a new point will be made in 48 hours", so after the match in Lorraine.

The image of the controversial megastar replacement has ignited the vast world of football, from Argentina to France to Spain.

- Fiery debates -

Theories were already emerging on this crime of lese majesty.

But "Poche" had not explained Sunday night that his player was injured, he had only implied: "When I asked him, he told me he was fine".

"We are there to make decisions, sometimes it can please, sometimes not," added the Argentine coach, leaving the door of the controversy ajar.

"I understand the situation, I accept it as such, it is not at all a surprise", assured Tuesday "Poche" about these heated debates.

"The priority is always the well-being of the player, with the information we had internally, the best was to get it out after 75 minutes," said the Argentinian technician.

When the frustration of Messi, captured by the cameras and cameras on the bench, "all the great champions always want to stay on the field, that's understandable", comments Pochettino who said he was "happy with the game of + Leo + ".

Lionel Messi during the Ligue 1 clash between Paris and Lyon played at the Parc des Princes, September 19, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Too bad for PSG that Messi can not chain a third game with his new attacking accomplices, because the "MNM" was starting to slide well on certain actions.

- Neymar in good shape -

The trio, scrutinized, have only 125 minutes of life together.

Even with players of this class, it takes a little time to organize the best circuits, and better defend collectively, with stars not necessarily queens of the withdrawal.

Neymar JR in great form with Paris against Olympique Lyonnais at Parc des Princes, September 19, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

But against Lyon, the MNM has already shown more on the field in an hour and a quarter than the 50 minutes in Bruges (1-1), where Mbappé had left a foot affected at the start of the second period.

PSG also ended up winning against OL, at the last second, from a center of "Kyky" for Mauro Icardi, without Messi on the field, continuing his perfect start in L1: six matches, six victories.

Against OL, Messi looked for Mbappé more often than in Flanders, and his position as the axial leader of a 4-2-3-1, with "Ney" on the left, the world champion at the top and Angel Di Maria on the right, worked better than in the Champions League.

The trio of previous seasons (Neymar-Mbappé-Di Maria) will therefore find themselves at the helm in Metz.

Scorer Mauro Icardi embraced by Kylian Mbappé, decisive passer on the goal of PSG's victory over Lyon in Paris, September 19, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Neymar, hitting in front and ensuring his share of defensive work, was the best against OL, showing that he was back to great form.

Di Maria also took part in the defensive front curtain.

"Angel, tactically, had to widen the game on the right to give Messi his preferential position, center, center-right, to play between the lines," said Pochettino.

Di Maria "was also to come and lend a hand to Ander (Herrera) and (Idrissa) Gana (Gueye) so that they are not alone in the axis", adds the Argentinian.

Admittedly, the PSG, still deprived of its metronome Marco Verratti (knee), is still too often pierced.

PSG Argentinian winger Angel Di Maria against Olympique Lyonnais at Parc des Princes, September 19, 2021 Alain JOCARD AFP / Archives

But Metz, last in L1, worse defense (with Bordeaux) with 13 goals conceded, seems largely within the reach of this PSG.

© 2021 AFP