Paris Saint-Germain failed to 'support' Lionel Messi and Neymar, former sporting director Leonardo claims

• Neymar claimed to have faced "hell" in PSG
• Messi was "unhappy" in Paris
• Leonardo believes PSG did not support them

WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian worked with Messi and Neymar in his role as sporting director between 2019 and 2022 and insisted that the club failed the superstar duo.

WHAT THEY SAID: "People, they need to feel comfortable. These players need a state of good spirits, they need to feel support, they need to be recognised," Leonardo told Brazilian publication Ge. "And the ones who have do that are the club, us, and the coaches."

However, Leonardo rubbished that there were ego battles in the PSG dressing room. "These guys who have that level of talent are not complicated," he added. "They solve more problems than they create and, if their problems have to be solved, it is done... They also have to make themselves available for that [winning spirit] to happen."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi joined Neymar at the Parc des Princes to form a formidable attacking trio along with Kylian Mbappe and deliver Champions League glory. However, they failed in their attempts, which exposed them to angry reactions from PSG ultras. Earlier in the summer, Messi revealed that he was "unhappy" during his two-year spell in Paris, while Neymar claimed that he and the Argentine superstar went through "hell" in the French capital.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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Getty Images

WHAT NEXT? PSG have signed Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos to replace Messi and Neymar who departed for Inter Miami and Al-Hilal respectively. They will return to action against Nice on September 15 at the Parc des Princes.