Paris Saint-Germain midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Thiago Motta have backed teammate Hatem Ben Arfa after he was left out of Unai Emery's squad for a third consecutive time in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Dijon.
Rabiot, 21, is a youth academy product who, like Ben Arfa, grew up in the Parisian suburbs and has also had some issues with the French champions in the past because of his attitude.
The France under-21 international said Ben Arfa "is in good form" and "happy" despite being dropped from the squad for the recent games against Arsenal, Caen and Dijon.
"He still came to see us this evening in the dressing room, to say congratulations," Rabiot told journalists in the mixed zone at Parc des Princes after Tuesday's win. "He was smiling. I can tell you that things are going well.
"Of course it cannot be easy to be snubbed like that and unable to participate with your teammates. He is a guy who works hard, though, and when he gets his chance I have no doubt he will deliver."
Motta, meanwhile, said the former Nice man was "doing his job as a PSG player."
"It is up to the coach and that is something that has to be respected," he said. "Everybody is trying to help, on the pitch and mentally as well.
"We all want him to be the Hatem we saw last season, as he did very well with Nice. There is a team and he is part of that team. We will support Hatem until the end."
Motta also emphasised that he was "happy to see a player of such quality in the squad" but said there was fierce competition for places.
"It is not easy for the coach to make his decisions," Motta added. "Hatem, the advice I can give him, is to continue to work hard. He is a great player and he showed that last season. He will get more opportunities."
Ben Arfa has reportedly doubled his training sessions, doing individual work on his running and movement, but may nevertheless not be restored to the squad for Friday's Ligue 1 trip to Toulouse.