Club Brugge director Vincent Mannaert does not want his players to beg for an opponent’s shirt in the half-time of the match against Paris Saint-Germain tonight. “We must not fall into any kind of idolatry. I do not want to see players begging for a jersey at halftime,” said Mannaert in conversation with the Gazette of Antwerp.
Mannaert cites Stade Reims keeper Predrag Rajkovic as an example. The closing post looked up together with his son Messi after his debut in the service of PSG for a photo. “I don’t want to see that,” said Mannaert. “Sorry, go to PSG’s fan day and ask for your photo. As a professional football player, your job is to beat your opponent. Then it doesn’t help to ask for a photo or a sweater.”
The eyes of the football world are focused on Bruges on Wednesday evening, Mannaert also knows. “Real Madrid also played here, but this is another dimension. The first time Messi in Belgium, the first time Messi in the Champions League in a shirt different from Barcelona, the first time Messi, Neymar and Mbappe together. Would this be his fourth match, it would be less unique,” said Mannaert.
The Bruges director did not personally welcome Messi in Bruges. “I don’t do that anyway. The focus should always be to beat the opponent, no matter how good they are. We must not fall into a kind of idolatry,” emphasizes Mannaert. “The reception is no different than last time. Lionel Messi is received here in the same way as any other opponent. He will shower in the same dressing room and follow the same route as the players from Ostend last Friday.”
Related
More sports news