Mbappé-Luis Enrique, truce before the Battle of San Sebastian
No one thinks the conflict between Luis Enrique and Kylian Mbappe is over, but the two sides appear to have reached a truce ahead of the return clash with Real Sociedad in the Champions League.
Nobody considers the conflict between the national team coach to be settled PSG, Luis Enriqueand his captain, Kylian Mbappebut the two sides appear to have reached a truce ahead of next Tuesday’s crucial Champions League round of 16 tie against Real Sociedad in San Sebastian.
The brawl last Friday in Monaco, when the coach replaced a player at half-time without giving him any explanation and he went into the penalty area with his mother instead of watching the game on the bench, made it clear that there was tension in the game. atmosphere.
But both the club’s all-time leading scorer and the current coach have plenty of reasons to try to make the best of this situation.
Was Mbappe who this Saturday before training at the Poissy sports campus knocked on the door of the coach’s office to ask for an explanation.
Two weeks after it was announced that he had informed leaders of his intention not to continue his career, the world vice-champion does not want his final months in his hometown to be an ordeal and is determined to leave the best legacy possible in the form of titles. .
That’s why he asked Luis Enrique explanation for your change in attitude. February 13, on the eve of the first match with Real society– assured the Spanish coach: “When there is a player of Kylian’s level in the team, the only thing we can understand is that the more he plays, the better, for the good of the team.”
Since then, everything has changed in the head of the coach, who assures that now that he knows that he will not have his star next year, it is time for him to start preparing for the future.
Mbappe In the first match in Nantes he did not start as there were rumors that he would not continue, in the next match against Rennes he left the field on the hour mark, and after the break in the match against Monaco he did not leave the dressing room.
Overall the balance is low for a significant player as he only played 50% of possible minutes.
In the office Luis EnriqueMbappe did not find an explanation very different from the one the coach gave to the press: the team was preparing to play without him.
The forward left the meeting with good words, but without any guarantees. Luis Enrique did not promise him more minutes or more leniency. He told him yes, that he would be in the key fights, starting with Anoeta next Tuesday.
The Spanish coach also took the opportunity to reproach the player for seeing him less involved in the life of the club in recent weeks, and that this is leading to a decrease in performance on the pitch.
Luis Enrique Thus, it expects to gain double benefit from these tensions. On the one hand, to encourage the footballer to take to the field with even greater hunger, and on the other, to finally realize his credo, according to which the group should be above any individuality.
In the six months that Mbappe bids farewell to Paris, the Spanish coach hopes to get the most out of one of the world’s best players without tying his hands to use him as he sees fit.
The Spanish coach’s reputation precedes him, and in Paris they are already beginning to remember that his relationships with big stars were not always cloudless.
Francesco Totti He confirmed this in the 2011–2012 season, when the manager did not hesitate to leave him on the bench, despite his status as a great idol in the stands.
Two years later, his arrival at Barcelona was marked in the first months by a clash with Lionel Messi, which ended with the Argentine ending up on the bench during a match in San Sebastian.
The duel that the San Sebastian team won baffled the coach, but for many it became the pillar on which Barça relied. Luis Enrique He won the treble that season.
During his time with the Spanish team, there was no shortage of disagreements with the star defender. Sergio Ramoswhom he left the ship for the World Cup in Qatar.