PSG – Stade Rennais: an eventful return home for Kylian Mbappé

A few days after the success at the Vélodrome against Olympique de Marseille and a week before the clash against FC Barcelona in the quarter-final of the Champions League, Luis Enrique's troops welcomed Stade Rennais to the Parc des Princes this Wednesday evening for a tantalizing duel in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. The key is an essential ticket to face OL in the final of the national cup. This meeting was an opportunity for Kylian Mbappé, starter alongside Ousmane Dembélé, to reunite with his audience after an eventful last few days following his thunderous exit in the 64th minute of play against OM which had shaken everyone. From Spain to France, the various presses were quick to exaggerate the story, thus becoming a new state affair in the already very eventful season of KM7 in Paris.

Stirrings that have been making headlines since Sunday evening. Luis Enrique had shown himself annoyed by the multitudes of repeated questions surrounding his management of Mbappé, while he clarified that he had not heard the supposed insults from the Parisian number 7 at the time of his exit. A rather negative climate had therefore developed between the Spanish coach and the French international the day after this Classic won by Paris at the Vélodrome (0-2). Mbappé's very mysterious publication on Instagram had left some after-effects internally, while our colleagues from The Team had mentioned a scolding from those around the Bondynois towards the management and staff of PSG. In short, the spotlight was completely focused on Kylian Mbappé this Wednesday evening.

Whistled but scorer!

Quite rare fact which deserves to be highlighted. The public did not give the best reception to its star, Kylian Mbappé. Indeed, the Collectif Ultras Paris from the Auteuil corner whistled the name of the French international copiously when the two compositions were announced by the announcer at the Parc des Princes. The one who will certainly leave PSG for Real Madrid in the coming months was even the victim of new whistles from the Parisian enclosure from his first touches of the ball. Passive and sulky, Mbappé had a start to the match like his recent outings with Paris Saint-Germain and the French team, that is to say performances with a real lack of efficiency, explosiveness and realism. On his first face-to-face, he adjusted his shot very poorly, perfectly repelled by Mandanda (12th). His first act was also spoiled by this provoked but completely missed penalty from the Parisian number 7 against the former OM goalkeeper (37th). Nevertheless, Kylian Mbappé managed, with some success due to the poorly diverted ball, to open the scoring for PSG with a cross shot on the left side (40th). A goal which left, despite everything, a certain bitter taste of the general copy of the captain of the Blues.

Curiously, in the second half, it was a slightly different Kylian Mbappé who appeared on the green grass of the Parc des Princes. If he didn't really smile, he seemed more accurate in his calls for the ball. He even made a few defensive comebacks, which is a small miracle considering his almost non-existent defensive attitude the last two seasons. Author of a better match after three complicated matches, he still lacked efficiency by missing two break points (53rd, 58th). Nothing to worry about for his teammates: “It reassures me, he's the best player in the world, it's a chance to have him with us and that he can help us like that on the pitch, it's great. Hoping it continues like this.”, analyzed Lucas Hernandez with a smile in the mixed zone. As for Luis Enrique, the Spanish coach praised his player at a press conference as if nothing had happened in the last fortnight: “Penalties, only those who take them miss them! Mbappé had a great match, as usual”. Everything wasn't perfect but Kylian Mbappé scored and even played 90 minutes without being replaced. This is what seems new enough in recent times to be underlined.