Football
Mark Rodden 10y

Jeremy Toulalan denies rift with Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim

Monaco midfielder Jeremy Toulalan has moved to play down rumours of a rift with manager Leonardo Jardim.

Toulalan, 31, hit the headlines for his angry reaction to being substituted during a 1-0 home defeat against Nice last weekend, coupled with an unusually hasty exit from the stadium.

The incident led to further speculation that the former France international does not see eye to eye with Jardim.

The ex-Sporting Lisbon boss, who took over from Claudio Ranieri in the summer, left club captain Toulalan on the bench on the opening day of the season.

However, speaking after Monaco's 0-0 draw with Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League on Wednesday, Toulalan said people were reading too much into his actions.

"When you're substituted, you're never happy," he told L'Equipe. "And when you're substituted and you lose, even less so.

"Yes, I left quickly. I wasn't happy to be substituted and to have lost. There was nothing more than that."

Monaco put some poor domestic form behind them to draw with Zenit, meaning that the French club have now collected four points from their first two European matches.

A lively performance in Russia contrasted sharply with the lacklustre loss to Nice last Saturday -- Monaco's fourth defeat in eight Ligue 1 games this season.

But Toulalan says it is only natural that the club's players get more excited about bigger games.

"The Champions League is different," he said. "It's like the match this weekend in Paris.

"I'm not saying that we weren't motivated against Nice but there could be some of that."

Meanwhile, Dimitar Berbatov is doubtful for Monaco's trip to face Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday after picking up a knock against Zenit.

The former Manchester United striker, who has scored twice this season, was substituted after 53 minutes on Wednesday.

"He's got an ankle injury," Jardim said after the game. "I don't know if he'll play against PSG."

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