Kylian Mbappe has not been mishandled by Paris Saint-Germain since the World Cup and injuries are "part of the job", coach Christophe Galtier said on Friday.
Mbappe is expected to miss PSG's Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich on February 14 after suffering a hamstring injury in the win at Montpellier on Wednesday.
Facing three weeks on the sidelines, Mbappe should also sit out Ligue 1 games against Toulouse, Monaco and Lille, as well as the Coupe de France clash with Marseille.
Considering Mbappe has 25 goals in 26 appearances for PSG this season, this is a major blow at a significant stage of the campaign, with Neymar also on the injured list.
The Toulouse game comes on Saturday as PSG look to extend their five-point lead over second-placed Marseille, with Lionel Messi heading into the fixture without his fellow star attackers.
Galtier has considered whether he has played Mbappe too much since the France striker returned from Qatar 2022. His verdict is that PSG have protected Mbappe as much as possible.
"We are in a unique season, with a World Cup in the middle," Galtier said, "and I realise that at many other clubs with many internationals, there has been fatigue that has generated automatically and injuries.
"As a philosophy, I am in the habit of saying injuries are part of the job.
"We're sorry above all for Kylian. He is a competitor and always wants to be involved, but we can't have a season where we don't have physical problems, that's part of a season and part of the competition.
"It's even more so for a club with internationals who are in demand all the time, as much with club as with country."
Galtier said PSG "took a lot of precautions for Kylian's return".
The striker reported for duty with the capital giants in the midweek after France's World Cup final penalty shoot-out loss to Argentina in December, illustrating his eagerness to get back into club action.
He was then allowed a holiday in January, with Mbappe travelling to the United States for that break.
"I don't think Kylian played too much," Galtier said, "and from the moment you play, there is always an element of risk."
Veteran defender Sergio Ramos, hit by a thigh problem at Montpellier, is another who will sit out the Toulouse game. The onus will fall on Messi to drive PSG to victory on Saturday, and the Argentine great scored in the 3-1 success at Montpellier.
"Leo Messi was able to take matters into his own hands against Montpellier, as soon as Kylian Mbappe and Sergio Ramos went off," said Galtier.
"He was a natural leader and the players put themselves at his service. I congratulated everyone for doing the work necessary to get this victory, which was difficult to obtain.
"The absence of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe is inevitably damaging since there were many connections between these three players. I now have to organise the team, taking into account these combined absences.
"Leo Messi will continue in his usual role. It will be up to the players who will be at his side to seize the opportunities and for everyone to raise their level of play."
Tottenham chief Paratici faces uncertain future after ban extended worldwide by FIFA
Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici's future at the club has been cast into doubt after his ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was extended worldwide by FIFA.
Paratici was one of 11 individuals connected with Juventus who were issued with bans by the FIGC in January after the club was found guilty of false accounting in relation to transfer dealings.
Juventus were also docked 15 points as part of the punishment.
Paratici and Juventus denied any wrongdoing, with an appeal against the initial sanctions imposed by the FIGC to be heard by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on April 19.
Despite his 30-month ban, Spurs director Paratici was able to continue his role with the Premier League club because the suspension only applied to Italian Football.
However, FIFA confirmed on Wednesday the bans handed out by the FIGC have been extended worldwide, meaning Paratici will be unable to fulfil his duties at Spurs unless his appeal is successful.
A widely reported FIFA statement read: "FIFA can confirm that following a request by the FIGC, the chairperson of the FIFA disciplinary committee has decided to extend the sanctions imposed by the FIGC on several football officials to have worldwide effect."
The news comes just three days after the sacking of Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, with the Italian leaving after 17 months in charge.
Paratici, who would have likely played an important in appointing Conte’s replacement, appeared in a video on Tuesday outlining Spurs' plans for the rest of the season and describing the decision to fire the former Inter and Chelsea coach as "the right decision."
Fati's father wants son to leave Barcelona despite Ansu's wish to stay
Ansu Fati wants to stay at Barcelona, but his father has other ideas.
The 20-year-old, who has been with the club for a decade, has made 38 appearances in all competitions this season but 27 of them have come as a substitute.
Bori Fati – who manages his son alongside agent Jorge Mendes – has been left angered by the situation and believes the winger deserves more minutes for Xavi's side.
"If it was up to me, I would take him [to another team] but [Ansu] wants to stay at Barcelona," Bori Fati told Spanish outlet Cope.
"He does not want to sign for another club, but I want to see him succeed. As a dad, I am angry.
"Seeing Ansu play so little winds you up a little bit, and sometimes I think as a father, not a coach."
Fati, who has scored six goals this season, is under a long-term contract with Barca, who are 12 points clear at the top of LaLiga.
And despite his father's wish, Fati has previously stated his desire to remain with Barcelona, where he feels at home.
"I'm under contract with Barcelona until June 2027, and I hope to stay here for many more years," he said in February.
"I feel grateful and lucky to play for Barca and I have to thank the people who support me daily for their backing."
The situation led to Bori calling a meeting with Barcelona sporting director Mateu Alemany, and agent Mendes.
Alemany reassured him of his son's role at the club, though Bori remains unconvinced the situation will change.
"I called Mateu," said Bori. "He told us that Ansu is part of the club's heritage, and they have bet big on him.
"As a dad, I think differently, maybe I am wrong. He is your franchise player, the number 10, he took [that number] on when no one was ready to take it from [Lionel] Messi.
"What annoys me is how they're treating him in terms of minutes. One minute, two, three.
"I am not asking for him to be a starter, because all the forwards at the club are phenomenal, but we are talking about Ansu Fati, of Spain and Barcelona, who came through La Masia."
It is now at the point where Bori no longer wants to visit Camp Nou to watch his son play.
"If it carries on like this, I will go [back] to [the family home in] Seville and that's that," said Bori.
"I didn't go to the game against [Real] Madrid. I won't go to the stadium anymore.
"The other day Ansu asked me why I didn't go, he thought I was there. I told him I didn't fancy it."
Conte's Spurs exit no surprise to Vieri: 'He goes into conflict with everyone'
Tottenham should not have been surprised by how Antonio Conte's time at the club ended as he "goes into conflict with everyone", says Christian Vieri.
Conte joined Spurs in November 2021 after the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo and guided the north London club to a top-four Premier League finish at the end of his first season.
Despite sitting fourth again this season, performances under Conte were hugely inconsistent with Spurs falling to disappointing exits in the Champions League and FA Cup in recent weeks.
Following an explosive press conference in which the Italian labelled his players "selfish", he left the club on Sunday.
However, the breakdown in relations between Conte and the club was something former Juventus, Inter and Italy striker Vieri was expecting.
"Antonio goes into conflict with everyone, it's his character," he told Corriere della Sera.
"If you take him, you can't expect someone who shuts up and everything is fine with him. He is always on the edge, it's his way of being; you can like it or not, you know who you get.
"Every two years does he fight with everyone? Yes. Does he always leave with problems? Yes.
"You know he's demanding, serious, and it's hard to have him in your club, he doesn't let you sleep peacefully.
"They are choices. There are coaches like Conte and Mourinho who hammer at all hours, put pressure and always demand the best.
"And then there are those who are fine with anything, they stay there. Everyone trains and sees football in their own way, and it doesn't mean that this or that coach is right."
Conte's former assistant Cristian Stellini is set to take charge of Tottenham alongside Ryan Mason until the end of the season.
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