Kylian Mbappe has been told to "grow up" and be more of a team player, with former France star Emmanuel Petit saying the Paris Saint-Germain striker's behaviour "annoys everyone".
France international Mbappe was linked with a move away from PSG on Tuesday, as Spanish newspaper Marca claimed his relationship with the Ligue 1 club has broken down.
It was reported Mbappe would be keen to move in January, despite only signing a new contract at the end of last season.
The deal came amid strong interest from Real Madrid, with Mbappe agreeing hugely lucrative terms to remain at PSG rather than depart as a free agent at the end of his contract.
He deleted an Instagram post recently that appeared to be critical of his role in coach Christophe Galtier's team, with Mbappe giving the impression he is displeased at being used as a lone out-and-out striker.
Speaking to RMC Sport, former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Petit said: "In recent weeks, I find him off-topic in his communication. I find that he is moving more and more from the central subject, which is the game and the pitch. He is making it more and more a personal business.
"Of course, I hear rumours that promises have not been kept, but I want to tell him: 'Kylian, grow up, that's life.'
"It's the same every day. You are made promises that no one keeps most of the time, does that mean you have to stop working and question everything? Of course not.
"It's called everyday life, the life of grown-ups, that of adults. Kylian, the sooner you have solved your problems with yourself, the sooner your performance will be felt on the pitch and your relationships with the public and your team-mates will find a certain appeasement."
There remains a clamour in Madrid for Mbappe to join Los Blancos, but there would need to be a huge shift in PSG's position for that to be an option before the end of next season.
At the same time, any sign of a dispirited Mbappe could have serious consequences for team morale.
Mbappe had 60 goals involvements in 46 games for PSG last season, with 39 goals and 21 assists.
This term, he has 11 goals from 12 games but has yet to have an assist, and he has often been outperformed by team-mate Neymar, who has managed 11 goals and nine assists in 14 appearances, while Lionel Messi also has eight goals and eight assists.
Mbappe, perhaps thinking he was going to be the main man this season, has been frequently overshadowed by others, making just about as many headlines for his perceived unhappiness as for his football.
He was due to be in action for PSG against Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League, ahead of a Ligue 1 'Classique' against Marseille on Sunday.
"He annoys everyone today," said Petit. "He constantly makes it a personal matter.
"He even puts himself above the institution. Has everything that happened in recent months gone to his head?"
AC Milan’s derby defeat ‘not the end of a journey, but a new beginning’
Stefano Pioli is using the pain of derby defeat as fresh inspiration as he attempts to steer AC Milan to success this season.
The Rossoneri were trounced 5-1 by Inter Milan a fortnight ago and then drew 0-0 with Newcastle in their Champions League opener.
They have since beaten Verona and Cagliari to go level on points with Inter at the top of the Serie A table and manager Pioli, who found himself under intense pressure in the wake of a difficult week, is keen to draw a line under the derby day disappointment ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Lazio.
View this post on InstagramHe told a press conference: “We are doing well, we want to find the right continuity to do well in the league and in the Champions League. We need to focus only on tomorrow.“We have always lived with balance between negative and positive moments. The derby was not the end of our journey, but a new beginning to start from.
“Now we are not perfect, we are not flawless, but we can put our best performance on the field tomorrow.”
Pioli will hope to have key players back for the weekend, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan having sat out Wednesday’s 3-1 win at Cagliari through injury, while strikers Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao started on the bench with the former not leaving it.
However, the Milan boss was coy about his team selection when asked about the depth of his squad.
View this post on InstagramPioli said: “I am convinced of the quality of my players, but we have to keep moving forward.
“After the break, a new season started. To stay at the top, we need to be strong in every aspect. Now we only think about tomorrow.”
Lazio will arrive at the San Siro after clinching just their second win of the campaign in midweek, when they beat Torino 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Pioli will hope a third successive victory will ease the tide of criticism which has come his way, although he remains philosophical.
He said: “It’s useless to talk about the criticisms. We are Milan, we want to win and be competitive. The club is following a wonderful path, already capable of winning and to put the accounts right. Everyone is working very well.
“We are Milan, the praise and criticism are high. It’s part of our job.”
Anthony Ralston enjoying setting an example at Celtic
Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston will embrace his developing role as one of the more senior members of the squad after signing his latest contract.
Ralston has made five appearances since the return of Brendan Rodgers and the manager quickly showed his faith by handing him a new contract until the summer of 2027 this week.
The academy graduate made his Celtic debut seven years ago under Ronny Deila and was handed further first-team action by Rodgers before truly establishing himself in the early days of Ange Postecoglou’s reign, following loan spells with Dundee United and St Johnstone.
Given the number of players who have arrived at Celtic Park over the last two years, the Scotland international accepts he can now be classed as a senior player.
“Unfortunately, aye…,” he said. “I am only turning 25 in November but for sure I’m not a kid anymore.
“When there’s younger boys coming into the team, it’s trying to help them settle in as much as possible, especially if they are coming from different backgrounds and different countries.
“It’s up to the likes of myself and boys who have been here for a long time or who have come through to help them settle in as best as possible so they can perform at their best.
“It’s a different time now for me after signing the contract. I am going to be here until I am slightly older again so it’s adapting through my career into that experience level where I can help younger boys, because I have been there myself at 18, 19, 20.
“I am lucky, we still have more experienced boys than me, the likes of Cal (McGregor), Joe (Hart), Jamesy (Forrest), who take the lead on that. I still very much look to them as well as trying to help the younger lads.
“But when that point of my career comes – not just yet – I have had great role models to be able to fulfil that when the time comes.”
Rodgers this week stated it was important for Celtic to have players such as Ralston who understand what it means to play for the club as supporters and youth academy graduates.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership clash at Motherwell, Ralston agreed: “I do feel it’s important. It’s a hard journey to get to this point but I am one of the lucky ones who have been able to break through. There are a lot of kids who don’t.
“I have had great role models like Callum and Jamesy that I have seen do it and it gives everyone that bit of hope.”
Ralston has previously spoken about how the birth of his daughter, Mila, inspired him to make his breakthrough under Postecoglou after he only played once during the 2020-21 season. And his role as a father continues to motivate him.
“The contract is a symbol of the work I am putting in for her and for the rest of my family and friends who have helped me all the way from being a kid to now,” he said.
“She is definitely getting to grips more with what her dad does. She is only three and a half so trying to explain that to her and sometimes she is quite interested, then other times she is not.
“But she will get there and when she is older she will be able to look back at all the memories that I have tried to create for her early in her life and realise how special it was.
“She is my main motivation, she is my responsibility and my career reflects my life as well. It’s just about trying to give her everything and the best life possible.
“She is going to grow up and look back at the success and the things I create. It’s my job to make sure they are as special as possible and I hope I am doing that for her.”
Lisandro Martinez could be out for two months in latest Man Utd injury blow
Lisandro Martinez faces around two months on the sidelines having aggravated a previous foot complaint as Manchester United’s injury-hit start to the season continues.
There have been 16 different United players injured or ill already this season, with seven sidelined for Saturday’s Premier League home clash against Crystal Palace.
United full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Sergio Reguilon are all ruled out, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Martinez also absent.
The Argentina defender sustained a fractured metatarsal in April’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Sevilla, keeping him out for around two months.
Martinez is now understood to be looking at a similar timescale on the sidelines after United announced an issue with the same foot.
“Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period due to an aggravation of the foot injury he suffered in April,” the club said.
“The Argentinian defender experienced the setback in our Premier League game against Arsenal earlier this month.
“Martinez bravely continued playing for the following two games against Brighton and Bayern Munich.
“But it has now been determined that he needs a period on the sidelines for recovery and rehabilitation. Assessment is ongoing to decide next steps.”Martinez’s absence in a gut punch for a United side that can welcome back Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay after missing Tuesday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup win against Palace through illness.
Ahead of hosting Palace again, manager Erik ten Hag said: “We have seen some players back on Tuesday.
“For tomorrow the players who were out of the squad for Tuesday, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen, they are back.”
Ten Hag recently admitted he was concerned about the number of injuries United have been picking up at a time when there are ever-increasing demands on elite players.
“We already expanded the squad this season,” he said. “We had a World Cup in the middle of (last) season, so we had a longer season.
“We had to play a longer season as well because of the FA Cup (final) then nations games, so a shorter break.
“Every time the shadow is expanding, and the load on the players is just too much. It’s such a great overload.
“But many colleagues have already pointed to that, and I have pointed to that as well.
“But it kept going, we keep expanding the shadow, but anywhere it will stop and players can’t deal any more with this overload.
“I think this is what you see across many squads in this moment.”
The strain of injuries and illness have been compounded by the absence of Antony and Jadon Sancho.
Antony has not played since the 3-1 loss at Arsenal on September 3, having been given a leave of absence to deal with allegations of abuse against him.
United announced on Friday that the winger will resume training and is available for selection again as he continues to co-operate with police inquiries.
But Antony will not feature against Palace this weekend, nor will Sancho.
Four weeks ago the England international claimed on social media that he had been made a “scapegoat” after Ten Hag said he left him out of the squad for the game at Arsenal because of poor performance in training.
United later announced Sancho was training “away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”.
Ten Hag has not backed down and gave short shrift to the latest questions about the banished winger.
“Many of you ask me so often these questions and I have said everything,” he said ahead of the Palace game.
When asked how long this situation with Sancho can continue, Ten Hag said curtly: “What I said – I said everything.”
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