All of Paris hoped that Mbappé, the elusive star who has given them so much and who will leave at the end of the season, would give them the definitive push towards the final.
The stratospheric attacker, who is bidding to be the best in the world, owed them a feat before packing his bags or so the collective imagination of the French capital told it. After his poor performance in the first leg, he had to appear on his last flight through the Parc des Princes in Europe to reward those who have been his fans for seven years.
But Mbappé did not appear. In the wake of what has been his most irregular season, although with equally impressive statistics, the attacker got tangled in the net set up by Borussia Dortmund and was not able to break the yellow wall.
His face at the end symbolized his disappointment well, that of leaving his hometown without leaving the most desired trophy in its showcases, a reflection of what an entire city suffers that could barely imagine that this was not its year in the Champions League.
The excitement was immense on the banks of the Seine and largely passed through the boots of the 25-year-old player who has given him so much. At least one goal came from his feet, either directly or in the form of an assist, in 30 of PSG’s last 31 games in Europe.
But he was once again caught up in the excess of responsibility of big occasions. Next Sunday he will experience his last game at the Parc des Princes at home. It will be necessary to see if it is a tribute or a boo, to the image of his career, which has run between admiration and quarrels for so many affronts, so many announcements that his future was far away.
Starting next season it will be. Mbappé closes one stage and PSG seems to have opened another, which does not involve the big stars or the big names.
It is symbolized by its coach, Luis Enrique, who has been able to connect with the stands and provide a personality that the club did not have, which seems to guarantee its continuity.
It is true that the Spanish coach has failed again in Europe, but it has not been a failure like before. Never since the Qataris arrived in Paris in 2012 has the city had so much enthusiasm, never so much hope, and the former Spanish coach has been able to build that.
Luis Enrique repeats that he came to Paris to build a collective project and he has tried to get Mbappé on board. Now, without the big star and everything he carries, he will have the free way to launch a new era in which everything happens through him.
A position in which he performs wonderfully, like a fish in water. His job will now be to know how to turn around this European defeat, look to the future with optimism and prepare the club to achieve what it has been seeking for so many years.
If Qatar’s patience holds out, Luis Enrique can embody the new stage left behind by Mbappé’s departure. EFE
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