“Never seen this before”, Mbappé’s exit stunned the Spanish press (and ended his match in the stands).

Luis Enrique’s decision to replace Kylian Mbappé at half-time of the match between Monaco and Paris on Friday caused quite a reaction in Spain, where we eagerly await the Frenchman next season.

It didn’t take long for the pictures to reach Spain. In a country where Kylian Mbappé’s every move is closely followed by observers, his substitution at half-time on Friday during the Ligue 1 match between Monaco and PSG (0-0) was an apparent surprise.

AS newspaper sees it as “sanction”.

As revealed by RMC Sport, he was of course Luis Enrique’s choice and the Parisian number 7 was taken off at the break due to injury. He then appeared all smiles on the phone in the corridors of the Louis-II, while greeting the Paris contingent, before joining his mother Faiza Lamari in the stands to watch the second half.

An unexpected episode that finds us on the front page of AS newspaper this Saturday. Although it devotes most of its front page to Real’s trip to Valencia this evening, the Madrid daily has not forgotten Mbappé, who has been strongly touted for Real next season. “Luis Enrique put ‘sanctions’ on Mbappé and sent him off at half-time,” marvels AS, citing comments made by Luis Enrique at a press conference to justify himself.

“It’s 100% the coach’s decision, sooner or later you have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappe, I take this decision for the good of the team,” insisted the Spanish technician, whose relationship with his attacker looks less and less fluid. The latter announced his decision to leave Paris at the end of the season internally.

“A vague rule is that substituted players go to the bench with their teammates after the end of the match. But the camera filmed Mbappe smiling and chatting on the phone, as if the match was not going to resume. Then he signed autographs and we showed him his Seen in the stands with mother, far from the image of seriousness the club wants to see in its players in the middle of a match,” continues AS.

For Marca, Mbappé is “preparing his exit”

Similar surprise on the side of the Marca website, which questions the timing as Paris will meet Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday after a 2-0 first-leg win at the Parc des Princes: “Never seen before. Mbappé came off at half-time. .. and he watched the match with his mother in the stands! Against Rennes, Luis Enrique decided to replace him half an hour into the match.”

“It seems clear that Kylian Mbappé is starting to prepare for his exit. In the meantime, PSG will continue to try to get used to playing without him. With the trip to San Sebastian, will Luis Enrique continue to tighten the vice?”, Marca asks. . For the Catalan press, the surprise is just as great. Daily Sport spoke of the “punishment” given to his player by Luis Enrique and the “very strange image”.