In France, a football classic attracted fans to the stadium at the weekend. In the The classic, as the duel between the two most successful clubs in the history of French football is officially called, Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Marseille met. The Parisians deservedly won the away game in southern France 2-0 in front of a record crowd of 66,000 spectators; Vitinha (53rd) and Gonçalo Ramos (85th) scored the goals for PSG. However, Kylian Mbappé once again caught the attention of observers.
“I saw nothing, absolutely nothing,” said Luis Enrique at the press conference after the prestigious victory, with which his team extended their lead as Ligue 1 leaders to twelve points over their closest rival Stade Brest. The PSG coach’s answer to the question about Mbappé’s reaction to being substituted again hardly convinced anyone. So the reporters continued to discuss the Paris superstar’s demonstrative eye rolling on the pitch.
“It’s always the same music. Every week. “It’s tiring,” said Enrique, audibly annoyed at the probing interest in his relationship with Mbappé. “I am the coach, I make the decisions. And I will do that until my last day at PSG. I always try to find the best solution for the club. Sometimes I may be wrong, but they are my choices.”
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Enrique’s handling of what is currently probably the best footballer on the planet has been a concern for French football for months. Mbappè’s decision not to extend his contract in Paris, which expires in the summer, coupled with the victorious news from Spain that the star striker will work magic for Real Madrid in the coming season, led the Paris coach to take a step that was as consistent as it was courageous. Enrique made Mbappé, his most expensive employee, part-time.
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In what was probably his last Classique, the superstar, who was willing to leave, had to go to the substitutes’ bench after 64 minutes. As on Tuesday during the French international match against Chile (3:2), the 25-year-old was loudly whistled in Marseille. Mbappé reacted to Enrique’s decision like a child sent to clean the room. Rolling his eyes and cursing, the PSG captain stomped across the rain-soaked turf of the Stade Vélodrome. An lese majeste that ended with Mbappé being helped into a rain jacket by a supervisor and reluctantly sitting down on the bench. From there he saw how Ramos, who came on for him, decided the game.
The newspaper “Le Parisien” criticized the striker’s behavior, which appeared strange due to his “pouting face when leaving the pitch on the evening of a big victory”. “L’Equipe” also took harsh measures against Mbappé, who had already remained inconspicuous in the international matches against Germany and Chile. “As with the French team, the PSG striker delivered a lackluster performance in his last Classique,” wrote the paper.
Enriques Strategies
It was the sixth time in the last seven league games that Mbappé was substituted early or, like against Lille, was not allowed to play at all. After intensively studying the TV images from Marseille, countless lip readers all over France were sure on Sunday that the superstar had insulted his coach after the premature substitution. Enrique remained silent after the game ended.
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The Spanish coach had already publicly explained his strategy for dealing with his most valuable player weeks ago. The PSG coach emphasized at the time that they wanted to get used to playing without Mbappé at an early stage and added slightly snidely: “If I want to let him play, I will, and if I don’t want to – same thing.” The comfortable one A head start in the league helps Enrique, who has been coach in Paris since last summer, to demonstrate strength. In the Champions League, however, he is still dependent on his most valuable horse in the stable (market value of 180 million euros) continuing to jump higher than the rest in the crucial moments.
PSG will face FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the premier class. The Parisians will probably only be able to overcome this hurdle if Mbappé, who has scored 38 goals in as many competitive games so far this season, is willing to put in the effort on the pitch. In Paris they still harbor faint hopes that their record goalscorer might still stay.
Remain or Real?
“I still hope Kylian will change his mind. He hasn’t announced anything yet. He can still change his mind,” Enrique had explained before the game against Olympique Marseille, of all places, before making a daring prediction: “Let’s imagine that we win four titles this season and Kylian decides at the last moment that his place is in Paris. Why not?”
Paris’ coach is moving in an energetic field of tension: strengthening his own authority and preparing PSG for the time after the Mbappé era, but not angering his superstar too much because he has not yet said goodbye for good. In addition, we guarantee maximum sporting success, for which Enrique will ultimately have to answer. A dangerous constellation.
Icy exit: Kylian Mbappé trots off the pitch in Marseille. In the foreground, coach Enrique directs his team
What: REUTERS
Mbappé only reacted indirectly to his substitution in Marseille, but it was meaningful. The superstar posted a photo on his Instagram profile showing him with his head bowed and his shoulders slumped on his way off the field. The captain’s armband dangles in his right hand. The victory in the Classique didn’t say a word to Mbappé.
