Everything looked so promising at Paris Saint-Germain earlier this season. Kylian Mbappé decided to stay at the club amid interest from Real Madrid, while Lionel Messi and Neymar went on to get along very well on the pitch.
Fast forward to autumn, though, and things don’t look so rosy.
The French giants drew 1-1 with Benfica in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, amid rumors that Mbappé is seeking a quick exit from the club.
The French giants drew 1-1 with Benfica in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, amid rumors that Mbappé is seeking a quick exit from the club.
Speculation didn’t seem to detract from the 22-year-old’s form as he scored a penalty goal and proved to be a constant danger on the left.
Despite dominating the possession of the ball, PSG was again penalized in the second half by another penalty, this time dispatched perfectly by João Mário, from Benfica.
PSG pressed for a winner that would secure a place in the knockout stages of the tournament, but could not find the breakthrough – Mbappé thought he had won in the end, but his acrobatic volley was clearly impeded.
The UEFA Technical Observer Panel named Mbappé the Man of the Match, saying that “he was the only dangerous player in Paris thanks to his speed and movement”.
While the result and performance were far from a disaster, it served as another blip in a difficult week for the club, which saw reports from top journalists suggesting Mbappé was unhappy at PSG.
Some reports said the striker had his eye on a January transfer, having signed his new contract just 144 days ago.
“He feels betrayed by the club in the sense that all the things the club promised him when he signed this new contract until 2025 have not come to pass,” French football expert Julien Laurens told the BBC.
“The promises that they would sign a new striker so that he would play in his best position outside the striker, that Neymar would not be there and he would be sold, that they would hire a defender and he would be at the center of the project. All these things did not happen.”
“We knew there were tensions and now he’s made up his mind and doesn’t want to be there.”
“He feels he made a mistake extending his contract and should have left in the summer, now he’s looking at the January transfer window where he could go.”
However, the club has denied such speculation and says the world champion is happy where he is.
“I am with Kylian Mbappé every day. He never talked about leaving in January. He never talked about it with the president either,” said the club’s sporting director, Luis Campos, ahead of Tuesday’s game.
“It’s not a player statement, it’s a rumor.”
Mbappé’s lawyer did not immediately respond to the request for comment. CNN .
With Messi currently injured, the club will need Mbappé’s offensive prowess to continue their unbeaten form in the league.
The Parisian team face a difficult match against Marseille on Sunday and the club hope the rumors of Mbappé’s departure have died down.
Source: CNN Brasil
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