Kylian Mbappe was unwilling to discuss Real Madrid after PSG’s Champions League exit (Image: X: @MovistarFutbol)
Kylian Mbappe ditched a post-match interview when asked whether he would support Real Madrid in their upcoming Champions League semi-final. The Frenchman’s hopes of finishing a seven-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain with a European triumph were ruined by Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.
A first-leg goal from Niclas Fullkrug meant PSG were fighting an uphill battle by the time teams lined up for the return leg at Parc des Princes. Despite raining 30 shots on Dortmund’s goal and enjoying 70 per cent of the ball, the Parisians once again tasted defeat with the tie ending 2-0 on aggregate.
Mbappe – PSG’s best player – is yet to win club football’s top competition and fell agonisingly short again with defeat to Dortmund. Mats Hummels’ goal decided Tuesday’s second leg, setting up a bumper Wembley final with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
With his contract winding down, Mbappe has already agreed to sign for Madrid this summer, although the teams have delayed making an official announcement until the end of the season.
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Kylian Mbappe struggled to stamp his authority over two legs against Borussia Dortmund (Image: Getty)
Following PSG’s Champions League semi-final exit, Mbappe was asked whether he would be supporting Los Blancos for the rest of the tournament. But the 25-year-old wasn’t best pleased as he rolled his eyes and stormed off.
Many expected Mbappe to grab Tuesday’s game by the scruff of the neck given his almost unparalleled big-game pedigree. The lightning-fast forward scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final and is PSG’s all-time record scorer with 255 goals.
TNT Sports co-commentator Ally McCoist said: “Kylian Mbappe is world class. He has a hat-trick in the World Cup final – he is a big-time player. Could he have done more? Possibly, but all the credit has to go the way the Germans defended.
“Some of it is down to Mbappe as there were occasions he could have done more to get on the ball. But I would flip it, the majority of the credit has to go to the German defence – it was a tactical masterclass.”
Mbappe is signing a five-year deal at Real Madrid with a mammoth £128million signing bonus to be paid over the course of the contract. Last summer, the French international snubbed a world record £259m approach from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
PSG are set to win a third consecutive Ligue 1 title, with only four games remaining in all competitions before Mbappe jumps ship and moves to Spain.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1896746/kylian-mbappe-psg-champions-league