The preparations of PSG for the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Real Sociedad on Tuesday were overshadowed by the way coach Luis Enrique handled the star Kylian Mbappé.
PSG has suffered several humiliating defeats in this stage of the Champions League in recent years, but they are in a good position to advance to the quarter-finals this time, having won at home against the Basque team 2-0 in last month’s first leg.
Mbappé scored the opening goal in that game, but the next day, the forward informed Paris SG of his intention to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Luis Enrique should have seized the opportunity to have Mbappé available until then, but instead, he made a point of reducing the playing time of his top scorer.
Les Parisiens sont à Saint-Sébastien. 👋#RSOPSG I #UCL ✨ pic.twitter.com/BkWFJsZTtK
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) March 4, 2024
Mbappé remained on the bench for PSG’s next game in Nantes, although he came on to score a penalty in the 2-0 victory.
A week later, he started as captain at home against Rennes but was substituted at 65 minutes. His replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, scored the equalizing goal in the 1-1 draw.
Mbappé has played almost 300 games for Paris SG since his arrival from Monaco in 2017, but he had only been substituted at the beginning of a match due to injury or when PSG was already winning.
However, last Friday, he was replaced at halftime in the 0-0 draw with Monaco, once again not due to injury or even Luis Enrique attempting to rest his star for the Champions League.
“Sooner or later, we will have to play without him, so I am trying to find the best way to do it” said the coach.
His comments come after declaring in a press conference last week that Paris SG would have “a much better team” next season, by which time it is expected that Mbappé will be playing for Real Madrid.
