PSG midfielder Vitinha denied training altercation with Messi last season

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha (23) has denied on X having an altercation with then-PSG teammate Lionel Messi last season. L’Equipe reported this Wednesday that the Portuguese’s debut season with Les Parisiens was marred by a tense relationship with star players Neymar and Messi, who both departed the Ligue 1 champions this summer. The former Barcelona teammates reportedly took aim at Vitinha for being, in their eyes, one of the average players brought in by PSG Sporting advisor Luis Campos.

The outlet mentions a training ground altercation between Vitinha and Messi in the early weeks of 2023. The 2022 World Cup winner reportedly told Vitinha, in substance: “You’re not only bad, you’re also hurting me.” L’Equipe understands that Vitinha’s confidence was shot to bits after this, so much so that his future with PSG was called into question. The outlet adds that several of Vitinha’s teammates, including fellow Portuguese midfielder Danilo Pereira, have backed the former FC Porto man.

On the back of a convincing performance against Borussia Dortmund with PSG for their Champions League’s opening-day 2-0 win, Vitinha has denied the story on X. “I don’t usually comment on anything about the press, but this time I have to say it. It is completely false that this happened.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval