Early tensions at PSG as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe take time to adapt

Pochettino refuses to say whether fearsome threesome will start in Champions league clash with Manchester City on Tuesday

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe with sporting director Leonard. Reuters

Kylian Mbappe with Keylor Navas, back, and Lionel Messi, right. EPA

Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar and Lionel Messi at the Ooredoo Training Centre on the eve of their Champions League Group A match against Manchester City on Tuesday, September 28. EPA

Lionel Messi with Leandro Paredes during training session in Saint Germain-en-Laye, west of Paris., on Monday. AP

Neymar, centre, with Lionel Messi, right, during PSG's training session. AP

Lionel Messi during training session on Monday. AP

Lionel Messi during PSG training on the eve of their Champions League match against Manchester City. Reuters

Neymar and Lionel Messi. Reuters

PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas during training on Monday. Reuters

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe during PSG's training session at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. AFP

Neymar and Marco Verratti during training. Reuters

Neymar and Lionel Messi train in Paris. EPA

Lionel Messi, right, during training. AFP

Lionel Messi and Neymar at training. AFP

Kylian Mbappe and Neymar at training. AFP

Lionel Messi trains ahead of the Champions League match against Manchester City. AFP

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, right, watches Lionel Messi battle for the ball with Leandro Paredes. AP

Kylian Mbappe trains with Lionel Messi. AP

Kylian Mbappe points to Lionel Messi during training. AP

Lionel Messi trains with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. AFP

Almost two months after it was patented, ‘MNM’ has yet to take off. The brand MNM is doing well - most of football knows what MNM stands for, almost as readily as they know ‘PSG’ stands for Paris Saint-Germain.

But the club that brought together Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe and encouraged them to be referred to by the acronym of their names has not yet seen the fearsome threesome operate in irresistible, perfect harmony.

Granted, Messi (M) Neymar (N) and Mbappe (M) have started a match together only once, and the real thrill from that belonged to Club Brugge, who tamed PSG and MNM in the drawn opening game of a Champions League group that becomes tougher for the French club from here on, starting with Tuesday’s confrontation with Manchester City.

Messi’s participation from the start at the Parc des Princes is in some doubt because he is still shaking off a knee injury that caused him to miss PSG’s last two Ligue 1 games. It means he has played just 100 minutes of French league football since leaving Barcelona, in the shock move of the summer transfer window, plus his 90 minutes at Bruges.

MNM have had even less time together, Neymar having been substituted for Messi when the new recruit made his PSG debut, at Stade Reims a month ago. Mbappe then left the field, having taken a knock, early in the second half in Bruges. Messi, nursing his sore knee, lasted until the 76th minute in the victory over Lyon.

What these matches all featured were vital contributions from Mbappe, goals and several assists, but no direct exchanges between members of the celebrated trio that led directly to goals. Yes, Messi has had shots come back off the frame of opposition goals, but so far, MNM as a unit could be an abbreviation for ‘minimal’.

Mauricio Pochettino, the manager charged with blending the vision of Messi, the dribbling of Neymar, and the speed of Mbappe - among their many other qualities - urges patience. He also has to ensure the links in the triangle are all equally strong.

Mbappe hinted at tensions in the four-year partnership between he and Neymar at the weekend, when he was caught saying and gesturing, while on the bench, that Neymar had not been providing him with the right sort of passes.

The Brazilian had just set up a Julian Draxler goal, the second in the 2-0 win against Montpellier. Mbappe watched the assist and, turning to colleague Idrissa Gana Gueye, remarked: “He doesn’t pass to me!”

The episode obliged Pochettino yesterday to once again address an Mbappe-generated headline. Last week, the France striker came under heavy criticism for appearing to mock the Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja during PSG’s 2-1 win there.

PSG player ratings v Club Brugge

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN PLAYER RATINGS: Keylor Navas, 7 - Arguably the reason his side got anything at all against an opponent they were expected to breeze past. Had no chance of stopping the equaliser, but he got down smartly to keep out Hans Vakanen’s low free-kick and deny the Club Brugge skipper his second, before producing a fabulous one-handed save to scoop away Charles De Ketelaere‘s effort. AFP

Achraf Hakimi, 5 - Produced an important flick-on at the back post to preserve his side’s lead and thwart Vanaken who was lining up the spectacular, but he allowed Eduard Sobol to get in behind him and he squared for Vanaken to thunder home. A slightly nervous display from the PSG full-back. AFP

Marquinhos, 6 - A much busier evening than he would have expected, and the 27-year-old was mightily fortunate to see a low cross evade Vanaken at the far post after nicking off the centre-back. Superbly denied the hosts the perfect start to the second half with a stunning block to thwart Jack Hendry. EPA

Presnel Kimpembe, 6 - Showed strength to pin the Belgian side inside their own half as they looked for an escape on the counter, but he could only stick a leg out in front of Vanaken’s piledriver that cannoned off his leg and flew past Navas. Repelled a dangerous low-cross away to safety with two Brugge players waiting to pounce. AFP

Abdou Diallo, 5 - A difficult night for the left-back who was put under constant pressure by the hosts’ press. Not quite given the torrid time that Hakimi was as Club Brugge opted to build down the left, but a difficult night nonetheless. Replaced by Nuno Mendes for the final 15 minutes. AFP

Georginio Wijnaldum, 4 - The visitors were guilty of overplaying at times as their passing featured plenty of flicks but a lack of fluidity and Wijnaldum captured that perfectly when he opted to try and flick the ball over his head deep in PSG territory which allowed Club Brugge to easily nick the ball back. The former Liverpool favourite struggled to grab the game by the scruff of the neck in an uninspired display and was hauled off at half-time. AFP

Leandro Paredes, 4 - Certainly in the thick of things in the opening 10 minutes and was nearly the architect of disaster when he allowed a simple pass from Kimpembe to roll under his studs before desperately clattering into De Ketelaere at the expense of a yellow card. A poor display that saw him subbed off at the break. Getty Images

Ander Herrera, 8 - Almost unlocked the home defence for the first time with a threaded pass intended for the overlapping Hakimi, but the ball was well snuffed out by a disciplined home defence. He always looked the most likely to make something happen for his side in the early stages and his efforts were rewarded as he struck his first Champions League goal when he rifled into the bottom left corner. AP

Kylian Mbappe, 7 - When Mbappe is around there’s always a chance of goals and the France star brilliantly chopped inside then outside before stroking the ball into the path of Herrera who fired the opener. Showed quick feet to glide away from his man once again but this time his fizzed, out-swinging cross curled away to safety before Simon Mignolet denied him with a fine save minutes later. Withdrawn in the 51st minute after picking up a knock. AFP

Lionel Messi, 6 - Only a second appearance for the Argentine who completed a ferocious front three for the first time, but ferocious became feeble as the trio were isolated for large spells. He went close with a curling left-footed effort that cannoned back off the bar before stinging the palms of Mignolet midway through the second half and wasted a golden chance to break Club Brugge hearts when he picked out row Z late on. Getty Images

Neymar, 6 - An illusive outing from the Brazilian who unpicked the home defence with a sensational lifted pass over the top, only for his teammate to miscontrol at the vital moment, and he offered little else. Getty Images

Danilo Pereira (45'), 6 - Replaced Wijnaldum at the break following an indifferent display. Produced an important intervention to shepherd the ball out for a corner just before the hour-mark and his side were able to clear. Reuters

Julian Draxler (45'), 5 - Replaced Paredes in a double-switch at the interval. He was unable to provide the attacking spark Mauricio Pochettino would have been hoping for as PSG continued to struggle against their tenacious and unrelenting hosts. Getty

Mauro Icardi (51'), 6 - Replaced the roughed up Mbappe as the visitors were forced into their third change within six minutes of the restart. He looked certain to make it 2-1 just moments later, but the move was snuffed out by an exceptional piece of defending before a late offside flag went up. Came within inches of a winner inside the final 10 minutes with an improvised flick that flew just past the post. AP

Nuno Mendes 75'), NR - Replaced Diallo for the final quarter-hour and probably did more attacking than any other PSG defender all night. A bright performance on the left-hand side from the teenager. AFP

Throughout August, Mbappe’s refusal to extend his PSG contract, which expires in June, was the hot topic, and his uncertain future, with Real Madrid keen to sign him, continues to be an issue.

“In football these sorts of things happen between competitive individuals,” said Pochettino of Mbappe’s words - which were caught, close-up, on camera - about Neymar’s not passing to him. “They are both fantastic guys. It was a big issue from outside but internally, it was nothing. They’ve spoken, I’ve spoken to them, and they’ve been happy together in training.”

All the same, a goal set up by Neymar and scored by Mbappe, or assisted by Mbappe and finished by Neymar seems overdue. There has not yet been one in PSG’s season.

Over the four seasons since they became the most expensive attacking pairing in football history - PSG paid over €400m for Neymar and Mbappe combined - they have combined, on average, for a goal every 2.5 matches.

As it happens that’s a shade above the Messi-Neymar rate of shared assists-and-goals when that partnership was flourishing between 2013 and 2017 at Barcelona - an ‘MN’ written in capitals and worth a goal involving both of them every 2.9 matches on average.

What chance the full, feted MNM clicks into place against City? Messi “will be available for the matchday squad,” confirmed Pochettino, refusing to add whether the Argentinian would start the match.

He urged people not to expect Neymar and Messi to resume immediately the complicity they had at Barcelona, or Messi to tune straight into Mbappe’s wavelength. “Leo spent 20 years at Barcelona. Let’s let the players adapt to their new environment, let’s let them feel at home.”