The critics are coming out after Paris Saint-Germain fell 1-0 to Stade Rennais on Sunday at Roazhon Park. Additionally, the result tightens the Ligue 1 race as RC Lens is now three points away from overtaking the French giants for first place.
Of the loudest critics to hammer PSG for the loss is RMC Sport’s Daniel Riolo, who took a shot at Neymar for the performance in the loss. The French pundit believes that their form will begin to dip with the 2022 FIFA World Cup passing.
“[Neymar] had half a good season because he was preparing for the World Cup; he was just in training,” Riolo said on Sunday’s edition of “After Foot RMC” (h/t Paris Fans). “There, it’s over. He holds because Galtier, the great revolutionary with Campos, leaves him on the ground. Do we realize that Neymar, in terms of recruitment and salary, is the biggest flop in the history of football? I can’t think of a bigger flop for what it cost; it’s horrible.”
Riolo also took a shot at Messi and questioned whether the French giants should extend the 35-year-old, whose contract expires in June.
“Just because he was good in two [UEFA Champions League games] in 2020 doesn’t mean it’s going to save your life,” Riolo said. “And also against Bayern Munich in 2021. Let PSG stop. And we are thinking about the idea of extending Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos … But extend Messi for 20 years, give him a box and he will come to the stadium when he is a grandfather. Let’s extend Neymar and give him 15 years of salary at the point where we are.”
There’s reporting that Messi will remain in Paris for at least another as it appears to be a two-horse race between the reigning Ligue 1 champions and Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
Nonetheless, if the Argentine’s performance against Rennes is an indicator of how these next few months will go for Messi, expect more criticism from pundits like Riolo.