- French forward graced World Cup final
- Morocco full-back also back in domestic action
- Expected to be given 10 days of rest
WHAT HAPPENED? The France and Morocco internationals wasted no time returning to Parc des Princes after helping their respective nations to runners-up and fourth-place finishes at Qatar 2022. Mbappe and Hakimi have figured in outings for PSG against Strasbourg and Lens a matter of days after seeing bids for global glory in the Middle East come to a close, but are now set to be awarded periods of well-earned rest.
WHAT THEY SAID: PSG boss Christophe Galtier told Amazon Prime after seeing his side suffer a shock 3-1 defeat to Lens on Sunday: “Hakimi and Mbappe will have a few days off. The plan was that they could play these two games. They will now recover.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mbappe and Hakimi are expected to sit out a meeting with Chateauroux in the third round of the Coupe de France on Friday, while the former could also be rested for a Ligue 1 outing against Angers on January 11 – with Moroccan full-back Hakimi already due to miss that match through suspension.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Getty Images
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? If Mbappe and Hakimi are given a full 10 days off – the same break awarded to fellow international stars that graced the 2022 World Cup – then they will return to action on January 15th against Rennes, with Lionel Messi also set to be back by then after helping Argentina to a long-awaited global crown in the Middle East.