For years, Kylian Mbappé was the clear heart of Paris St. Germain. Young, spectacular and different from his co-superstars Neymar and Lionel Messi: and above all, French. PSG was happy to make concessions to such a player. Transfer dramas that went on for years, sideshows off the pitch, a public denigration of former coach Christopher Galtier because he used him in the center of the attack and not on the wing – he let everything get away with him.
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The wind now seems to have changed. Because the future of PSG no longer rests on the name Mbappé. It is an open secret that the 25-year-old will move to Real Madrid in the summer. A different wind is now blowing in Paris.
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In the recent 1-1 draw against Stade Rennes, coach Luis Enrique replaced his star striker after 65 minutes when the score was 0-1. After the game the coach explained: “Sooner or later we will have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappé.” Words that probably wouldn’t have been spoken just a few weeks ago.
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Better without Mbappé
At the press conference before today’s game between Paris and AS Monaco (9 p.m.), Enrique once again caused a stir. “I can say that if everything goes according to plan – and I am 100 percent convinced that it will – then next year we will have a better team than we have now. I have no doubt about that.”
The Spaniard continued: “It’s about the offense and defense, our work ethic, our physical, technical and tactical level. I have no doubts that PSG will improve.” PSG better without Mbappé? A public affront against the 2018 world champion?
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“Reasonless & evil”
Parts of the French media echo suggest this. Jérome Rothen, for example, an ex-PSG player and opinionated TV expert for ‘RMC’, said about Enrique’s statement on his show ‘Rothen s’enflamme’: “It comes for no reason, is evil and will have no positive impact on the rest of the season. Quite the opposite. And that’s what worries me.”
But she didn’t come for absolutely no reason. What went unmentioned was that Enrique only spoke about the PSG of the future because he was asked about a potential transfer from Rafael Leão (24/AC Milan). The 53-year-old did not want to comment on such rumors, but instead expressed general optimism for the future.
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“Think about the team now”
Understandable, as Matthieu Margueritte, editor of the French FT-Partner site Foot Marketfinds: “It was foreseeable that some people would take it as an insult to Mbappé. But it is a fact that Enrique now works for a club that is planning its future without Mbappé. So Enrique no longer has to concentrate so much on keeping Mbappé happy.”
Mbappé won’t like it and Enrique will probably know that too. The difference from before: He can’t care. According to Margueritte, PSG can only benefit from this: “They now think about the team and not just an individual player – even if he is the club’s biggest star.” The years of special treatment in Paris appear to be over. Or to put it another way: Mbappé is no longer the clear heart of the club.
2024-03-01 18:43:41
#team #year #Enrique #shoot #Mbappé
