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| Kylian Mbappe andNeymar Jr and Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain look on the Paris Saint-Germain training session at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground on July 18, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan. |
Paris Saint-Germain and
their squad of superstars hit the training pitch in Tokyo on Monday evening
ahead of their upcoming pre-season games.
About 13,000 fans
turned up at the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium to watch the Ligue 1 champions in
an open session that lasted for 90 minutes.
The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe,
Neymar and Sergio Ramos all enjoyed a workout in front of the delighted
supporters who greeted every touch with loud screams.
Security guards were
also called into action when several fans invaded the pitch once the training
session was completed.
The French
champions face three games against J-League sides during their
10-day Japanese tour.
First up is Kawasaki
Frontale at Tokyo’s Japan National Stadium on Tuesday, followed by Saturday’s
game Urawa Reds at the Saitama Stadium 2002 and finally Gamba Osaka at the
Panasonic Stadium Suita next week.
Earlier on
Monday, children in Tokyo had been treated to a coaching clinic by
PSG players and new manager Christophe Galtier.
On Sunday, meanwhile,
PSG completed the signing of Reims striker Hugo Ekitike on a season-long loan
with the option to buy in a deal that could end up costing around €30 million.
The 20-year-old had
been linked with a move to Premier League side Newcastle United since January
but the chance to join Mbappe, Messi and Co has proven too good to turn down.
Ekitike, who scored 11
goals in 26 appearances for Reims last season, said: “It’s a choice made
by my heart. I’m French too, it’s the club of my country.
“And then it’s a
club where the greatest players evolve, where there are quality and experienced
staff, as well as a desire to win every title available. There is everything
here for me to progress. All the ingredients are there, so it’s a logical
choice for me to be here.“Finally, I have
family in the Paris region, and I have always followed Paris Saint-Germain. All
this made my desire to join this club very natural. It’s the right choice for
me to be here.”
You can see images of
PSG players training in Tokyo in the gallery above. To move on to the next
image, click on the arrows, or if you’re using a mobile device, simply swipe.
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