Kylian Mbappé leaves at half-time in Monaco, Luis Enrique’s “100% decision”

The Paris Saint-Germain striker was on the pitch for just 45 minutes on Friday before being returned to the stands by his coach Luis Enrique.

We had a more peaceful preparation before heading into the Champions League round of 16 second leg. While Paris Saint-Germain travel to Real Sociedad on Tuesday 5 March (2-0 victory in the first leg), the capital club could do no better than a goalless draw on Friday 1 March.^er March in Ligue 1 in Monaco. More than the content of the meeting, Kylian Mbappé’s quick exit once again drew attention. The Parisian striker appeared in the stands at the Stade Louis-II, with injury concerns, before being substituted only in the first half.

The reason for this change ultimately had nothing to do with the France team captain’s physique. “It’s 100% the coach’s decision“, PSG technician Luis Enrique reacted in a press conference. The Spanish coach chose to do without his top scorer during the match for the second week in a row after sending off Mbappe in the 65th.^E Minutes against Rennes on February 25. The striker had not been substituted in two consecutive matches since October 2022, and we have to go back six years to find traces of his exit at half-time against Paris (PSG-OM, February 28, 2018). ankle

The announcement of Mbappé’s departure at the end of the season, confirmed by Franceinfo on 15 February, has been enough to reinforce doubts and rekindle questions about the relationship between the Frenchman and Luis Enrique. “I’m not going to get into that game, no problem for me, that’s the way I want to manage things“, coach sweep.”My job is to make decisions all the time, He supported on Prime Video. My philosophy is to think of the best options for my team. I will do what I think is best for the team. I’m not going to argue, that’s my decision.“

Kylian Mbappé took advantage of this premature exit to greet his former Monaco audience, sign a few autographs, but without meeting his partners afterwards. The tricolor then sat down in the stadium stands with his mother, rather than his teammates, on the Paris bench without speaking.

“Sooner or later, we will have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappe. I am taking this decision for the good of the team.”

Luis Enrique, coach of Paris Saint-Germain

At a press conference

Visibly annoyed, the Parisian coach described the many questions on the subject in a press conference as “Three in a row“.”Three questions on the same topic, three times the same answer. Go for the fourth. I’ve never scored a quadruple in my career, they canceled it, I remember it was against Athletic Bilbao.“, he liked to joke.

The former Spain coach and Barca coach also believed his side’s second half was better without their star striker. “In the first half, our opponent created more scoring chances, but in the second half we really reversed the trend, we were stronger, we could have won or lost, so the result is fair enough.“

“Yes, it is a good rehearsal for the Champions League” Luis Enrique’s guess. With or without Kylian Mbappe at kick-off at Real Sociedad? The striker has scored four goals in C1 this season, and opened the scoring against the Basque side in the first leg.