Mbappé soap opera, continued. An episode which the journalists present in San Sebastián, for the press conference on the eve of the match before Real Sociedad-PSG, would have skipped… Reminder of previous episodes: Kylian Mbappé announced his choice to leave Paris this summer on February 13 to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. The information leaked on the 15th. Since then, the Parisian coach no longer takes gloves with the 25-year-old superstar. And even a little more than that: substitute in Nantes (0-2), replaced shortly after the hour mark against Rennes (1-1) and even at half-time in Monaco (0-0). Which Mbappé finished in the stands of Louis II, alongside his mother, Fayza Lamari. Club sanction? We swear no. Simple change in management from Luis Enrique, who promises that we will have to “sooner or later get used to playing without” Mbappé? One thing is certain: “KM” hardly shone against Rennes and ASM, that’s a fact. From there to taking it out at the break like a beginner, there is some room…
Various sources have mentioned a discussion between the two men on Saturday, to smooth out the angles, ensuring that the Spanish technician is counting on the French striker with a view to the C1. This remains to be demonstrated. Response Tuesday around 7:45 p.m. for the starting 11. In the meantime, Luis Enrique was, and this is quite logical, bombarded with questions about Kylian Mbappé on Monday, at Anoeta.
The first concerned his expectations of the former Monegasque: “I expect my players to be up to the task. I see the team with confidence, the objective is clear, to win the match, and it will be complicated. Missed. The second aimed to evoke the player’s behavior, if it has changed since the announcement of his upcoming departure: “Tomorrow’s match is more important”. Failed again. Then the press conference turned into a grand puppet. With the unfortunate complicity of the translator, who obviously did not understand a colleague’s question. However, it was simple and aimed to find out if Luis Enrique intended to apply the idea of getting used to playing without Mbappé also in C1. He had the question repeated twice. “I’m still stuck with the translator… Where’s the translator?”, he first laughed. “If the translator doesn’t understand, it’s because the question is complicated (smile). If Kylian is in the question, it’s bound to be complicated (laughs). The translator doesn’t understand the question (smile), I know it’s about Mbappé but that’s all,” he declared, hilarious, but only making him laugh.
A Spanish-speaking journalist came to the rescue, translating the famous question. To which Luis Enrique, who understands French relatively well even if he doesn’t yet speak it, replied: “Maybe yes, maybe no. Who knows ?”. All that for that… It’s a game for the former Spanish coach. A game all his own… We remember that he said, at the start of the season, that his “actions would say more than (his) words”. However, there is one sentence that says a lot: “You have to accept questions from journalists and you answer what you want (smile).” This time, we can take this at face value and consider that the Spanish technician is sincere…
Note that the Mbappé subject was also discussed in front of the broadcasters’ cameras, with long, uncomfortable silences on Canal. He showed himself to be more cash on RMC. Asked if he would manage Mbappé in the Champions League as in domestic competitions, Luis Enrique replied: “Yes, obviously, why not?” At present, the suspense remains intact, even if Kylian Mbappé appeared with a smile from ear to ear during the fifteen minutes of training open to the press this Monday evening, on the pitch of Anoeta. It remains to be seen whether he will have the opportunity to set foot on the said pitch on Tuesday evening, during this round of 16 second leg, and if so, for how long. With “Lucho”, you have to expect anything. In the meantime, we can wonder what game he is playing, what objective this communication serves. As mysterious as some of his choices. At least it’s consistent on this point…
