Should PSG plaster Kylian Mbappé until his departure?

The most prolific striker in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, current top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals and reference to his position on the football planet, Kylian Mbappé annoys. If this observation borders, at first glance, on ineptitude, the decision taken by the French international (75 caps, 46 goals) to leave the capital club to join Real Madrid next June, as we revealed to you on January 7, made this absurdity a certain reality. Friday evening, during the draw (0-0) conceded by the Rouge et Bleu on Monegasque soil, a new milestone was reached. Replaced at the break by Randal Kolo Muani after a poor first period (10 lost balls), the Bondynois then put on a show in the Louis-II bays. Dressed in his tracksuit, displaying a broad smile as if to show that the situation did not affect him and phone in hand, the Parisian number 7 finally returned to the boxes of the Monaco enclosure, alongside his mother, while taking time to take a selfie with a hostess. Far from the Parisian bench – a situation which did not fail to provoke a reaction (especially in the player’s clan) – the 2018 world champion quickly raised many questions.

Was he injured after this ankle collision with Guillermo Maripan in the 28th minute? Was he the victim of punishment after announcing he was leaving the City of Lights? Was he suffering all the consequences of an indigestible first act or was he simply preserved in view of the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League against Real Sociedad. Interviewed at the microphone of Prime Video At the final whistle, Luis Enrique clarified, in this capacity, the many gray areas left by this premature exit. “Mbappé? I am surprised (by the question, editor’s note). Sooner or later we will have to play without him so I’m trying to find the best option. Sooner or later he won’t play with us anymore. I have to make my decisions”assured the Spanish technician before adding another layer at a press conference. “It’s 100% a coach’s decision. I think that, sooner or later, we have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappé. It’s my decision and it’s a decision that I make with the objective, in my opinion, of obtaining the best for the team.the Iberian then repeated before adding: “I’m not going to get into that game. I am a professional and I have already responded to your colleague and I continue to respond in the same way: there is no problem, for me it is just a question of management and the way In my opinion, I manage the team as best as possible”.

Mbappé’s behavior is becoming more and more tense…

Refusing to fuel the controversy, Luis Enrique nevertheless confirmed, in fact, a certain downgrading of the Parisians’ star striker. By deciding to replace him at the break – a first for Mbappé since the start of his adventure at Paris Saint-Germain – the former coach of La Roja thus reaffirmed his authority, proving at the same time his intention to now deal with the Bondynois like any player in the Ile-de-France squad. An important shift when we remember the tweezers taken or the humor used by the Spaniard who notably made a dig at KM7 after his hat-trick in Reims (3-0), on November 11. Far from these irony-covered media outings, the former architect of FC Barcelona today fully embraces his new philosophy. One thing is certain, four days before the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League against Real Sociedad, this evening in the south of France will clearly not have created a climate of serenity in the Parisian ranks. A tense situation where the mixture of the present and the future of the French center-forward gives rise to a bitter-tasting brew. Therefore, before seeing PSG play for its European future against the Basques, Tuesday evening, at Anoeta, a question arises: the club of the capital – having recorded the desires elsewhere of its protégé – should it today definitely do without the services of the 25-year-old Frenchman?

As a reminder, the Parisian upper echelons have already proven, in the past, their ability to decide to the point on the subject of the 1m78 right-hander. Last summer, the Parisian club, unhappy with the turn of events around the future of Kylian Mbappé, did not hesitate to send the latter to the loft. With this in mind, the recent events experienced with KM7 – from the captain’s armband thrown during his outing against Rennes to the totally lunar behavior of the person concerned in Monaco – could push the Parisian management to make a radical decision. For the defenders of this possible outcome, the main argument lies in the fact that an exit of the Tricolore from the Ile-de-France eleven would allow the PSG institution to establish its authority, moreover at a time when many supporters point out the lack of respect for the captain of the Blues. “I don’t understand anything about what Luis Enrique does, his setups, his rotations… but I’m also inflated by Mbappé’s attitude. He’s always doing communications. Going out like that, taking selfies, greeting people like a rockstar… But who does that? Who goes up to the presidential stand in the middle of a match? Where is the respect for his teammates? And what’s more, he smiles. He knows very well what he is doing. We are tired of all this circus, all this cinema”noted Bakary, Parisian supporter and guest of After Foot.

Preparing for the future while respecting the present

“He’s the best player in the world, but we can’t excuse him anymore. His selfies, seeing him go into the stands… His attitude is starting to tire everyone”, added Farid, frustrated by the end of the Parisian star’s adventure in the French capital. In addition to the discontent of the fans, plastering the 2018 world champion would also respond to an ambition expressed by the Parisian technician: that of preparing for the future. If this argument remains inaudible to many observers, it nevertheless seems to be of an important nature for the former coach of La Roja. “We will have to learn to play without Kylian”had notably released the main concerned after the draw snatched at Rennes (1-1) before confirming his statements at a press conference. “It’s a spontaneous reflection after a match but it’s a reality. Everyone can interpret it in a positive or negative way. I understand that people can criticize or think that it is a bad decision. What is important for me is to look for the best solutions for the team at a given moment. It’s always the present and the immediate future that count.”. Finally, at a time when several supporters are pointing out Mbappé’s lack of investment (his first insipid act against the ASM should also give them something to grind for), doing without the services of Kylian Mbappé could do just that. simply respond to sporting logic.

After ensuring that his team will be “better next season, at all levels, defensively, offensively and tactically”Luis Enrique also implied that the absence of Kylian Mbappé in the eleven could also be beneficial for the collective. “The match had two different halves. In the first, the opponent created a lot of chances, more danger. In the second, we created more chances, we reversed the trend. We could have won or we could have lost in the first half. In the end, the result is fair”, indicated, with this in mind, the 53-year-old coach after the point reported from the Rock. Beneficial for some, evolving without Kylian Mbappé until the end of the season and his departure to Real Madrid would, however, be nonsense for others. “What Luis Enrique is doing makes no sense and not only in relation to Mbappé but in relation to the team in general. I’ve been saying for months that I don’t understand anything about what this coach is doing. I still don’t understand anything. I don’t understand his composition game. There was an eleven at the start of the season which pleased everyone. He decided to go all out by acting as if he was already banking on next year when the Champions League will resume.said Daniel Riolo in After Foot on RMC.

Whatever the future of Kylian Mbappé, many believe today that it is unthinkable to do without the services of such a player. Top scorer in the club’s history and already at the head of 32 goals and 7 assists in 33 matches in all competitions this season, KM7 remains, in fact, a permanent threat for the opponent. Through his speed, his sense of goal and his ability to change the course of a match with a flash of genius, Ethan’s big brother remains an essential pillar of Parisian success. Definitively removing number 7 from the group could then cause harm to PSG on a sporting level, what’s more at the time of competing in the biggest European shocks of its season. Finally, beyond the timing and the loss caused by a possible absence of a scorer from the Rouge et Bleu, depriving the latter of setting foot on the pitch should not remain without consequences on the general atmosphere within the Ile-de-France locker room. Indeed, if the beginnings of a conflictual relationship between Luis Enrique and his player are felt today, such a radical decision could definitively let the frustrations of the different parties come to light and directly impact the cohesion of an entire team. club. It now remains to be seen what fate Luis Enrique will reserve for his protégé on Tuesday evening in San Sebastian. One thing is certain, Kylian Mbappé’s place – on the field or on the substitutes’ bench – will give a new major clue about his end of adventure in the capital…