Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have returned to Paris Saint-German and are set to feature for PSG as they restart their Ligue 1 season.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, won’t be playing in the 16th round because he is still at home celebrating Argentina’s win in the World Cup final in Qatar.

The club is happy, though, because it was said last week that Messi, who is 35 years old, will sign a one-year extension to his contract, which is set to end in the summer.

Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, but France lost because they failed the penalty shootout. On Wednesday, he went back to training with Achraf Hakimi, who was one of Morocco’s best players on their way to the semi-finals.

Mbappe, Messi, and Hakimi were just three of the 14 Ligue 1 players from eight different clubs who made it to the semi-finals in Qatar.

Neymar and Marquinhos were both back on Thursday. Both are expected to play in Wednesday’s game at the Parc des Princes, which Brazil lost to Croatia in the quarterfinals.

PSG is currently five points ahead of Lens, which is in second place. On Sunday, PSG will play Lens in Flanders.

When Lens travels to Nice on Thursday, they will try to keep the pressure on PSG before that game.

Rennes, who are in third place, are going to Reims on Thursday. Lovro Majer and Joe Rodon, who plays for Wales but is on loan to Rennes, are both back from playing in Qatar.

“For me, it’s a second season that’s starting up again, with the same uncertainties, the same unknowns before a first league match of the season,” said Rennes manager Bruno Genesio. “We’ll see which teams have best managed this.”

Photo by EPA/YOAN VALAT