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Lionel Messi and other South American players in the Paris Saint Germain (PSG) team will miss the resumption of French Ligue 1 football later this month due to their national team commitment. Apart from summer signing Lionel Messi, PSG will also miss the services of Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Marquinhos when league football resumes as far as the French top flight is concerned.
PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino would be looking for an instant reaction from his players to the disappointing defeat to hosts Rennes when PSG take on Angers on Friday, October 15 and he will have to navigate the game without Lionel Messi, Neymar and the other South American players.
Pochettino and PSG began the new league season with eight straight wins and they were favourites ahead of the trip to play Rennes only for them to suffer their first defeat of the season in the league.GaetanLaborde gave Rennes the lead on the stroke of half-time and FlavenTait added a second goal just after restart as the home team stunned the star-studded PSG team 2-0. The likes of KylianMbappe, Neymar and six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi could not do anything to change the outcome of the game.
Despite the loss to Rennes, PSG still have a good cushion at the top of the French Ligue 1 log. They have a six-point lead over Lens in second place. After nine rounds of games in the French top flight this season, PSG have 24 points, while Lens are on 18 points.
PSG manager Pochettino will have to do without the Brazilian duo of Marquinhos and Neymar for the Angers game next week Friday as Brazil have three Qatar World Cup qualifiers between now and then. On their part, Messi, Di Maria and Paredes will also miss the Angers with Argentina also scheduled to play three World Cup qualifiers.
