Tag: Kylian Mbappe

France coach Didier Deschamps has cast doubt on Kylian Mbappe’s chances of representing his country at this year’s Paris Olympics, saying that it would be “very difficult” to compete at the Games straight after Euro 2024.

“It is very difficult from a psychological and physical viewpoint to take part in two competitions like that one after the other, in the summer, without having any holiday,” Deschamps admitted on Thursday.

The France coach confirmed that some members of his squad for the European Championship are likely to also feature in the Olympics squad, which will be named by Thierry Henry.

However, Deschamps said the Euro “remains the priority” and that the identities of those players featuring at the Olympics would need to be known before the continental championship, which starts on June 14.

“We don’t want any interference with our preparations, so once we are in our training camp at Clairefontaine, it needs to be clear who is going and who is not going,” Deschamps said.

It is understood that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, is very keen to represent his country at the Olympics, along with Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.

Yet the European Championship in Germany does not finish until July 14, with the Olympic football tournament beginning on July 24.

That means there would be no time for a break in between, at least if France go deep into the Euro.

Men’s football at the Summer Games is for players aged under 23, although three overage players can feature too, paving the way for the 25-year-old Mbappe and other senior French stars to take part.

However, football’s world governing body FIFA does not oblige clubs to release players for the Olympics, which could complicate Mbappe’s situation even more.

The forward has already told PSG he plans to leave when his contract expires at the end of this season and Real Madrid is expected to be his next destination.

His new club is unlikely to be thrilled at the prospect of Mbappe going to the Games rather than taking a holiday ahead of the start of the new season — the final of the Olympic tournament is set for August 9.

France legend Henry is currently in charge of the national Under-21 side and will oversee the team at the Olympics.

He accepts that whether Kylian Mbappe features in the squad does not ultimately come down to him.

“I have no certainties. I am at the mercy of a yes or a no from a club,” Henry said on Thursday.

“And then if they agree and then change coach in the meantime, who is to say I would still have him?”

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Luis Enrique defended his stuttering team after they were held 2-2 by Reims with Kylian Mbappe on bench in Ligue 1 on Sunday, a third straight domestic draw which still allowed the reigning champions to go 10 points clear at the top of the table.

Kylian Mbappe was rested at kick-off after scoring both goals in PSG’s 2-1 midweek win at Real Sociedad which saw them qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate.

Without him, PSG fell behind to a Marshall Munetsi goal following an error by Achraf Hakimi.

They hit back and found themselves ahead thanks to a Yunis Abdelhamid own goal and a Goncalo Ramos strike, but Oumar Diakite’s goal for Reims ensured a share of the spoils.

It was at times a disjointed and error-strewn display from a PSG side showing six changes from their midweek Champions League performance, and Reims were well worth their point.

“I didn’t think the team was too relaxed at any point. I thought their mentality was just right,” Luis Enrique said of his side’s performance.

“I never like to gift goals and the first goal was a big one but otherwise it was all positive.

“We pressed well, we were aggressive. Today we had the chance to go 12 points clear and that is our objective, to win the league as soon as possible and compete in every competition.”

Paris fell behind in the seventh minute when Hakimi was dispossessed inside his own box, allowing Diakite to set up Zimbabwe international Munetsi to score.

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However, PSG — with the names on the back of their shirts written in Korean to mark the opening of a new club shop in Seoul — drew level in the 17th minute.

Reims captain Abdelhamid scored an unfortunate own goal as he turned Hakimi’s corner into the net under pressure from Ramos.

Portugal striker Ramos then put PSG ahead two minutes later with his ninth goal of the season, finding the net with a deflected shot after the Reims defence had failed to deal with a Lee Kang-in cross.

Yet Will Still’s Reims, who sit in mid-table, came back to equalise on the stroke of half-time when Emmanuel Agbadou picked out Diakite with a superb defence-splitting pass, and the young Ivory Coast striker beat PSG’s stand-in goalkeeper Keylor Navas with a clinical finish.

Luis Enrique sent on Mbappe in the 73rd minute, with Ousmane Dembele and Randal Kolo Muani also introduced from the bench.

Kylian Mbappe had several attempts to score but could not add to his 34 goals for the season in all competitions as PSG followed up recent league draws with Rennes and Monaco by dropping points again.

However, a 1-0 defeat for nearest challengers Brest at Lens on Saturday means PSG have a huge 10-point advantage with only nine matches of the season remaining.

It was the fourth consecutive Ligue 1 game in which Mbappe has either started on the bench or been substituted since he informed PSG of his intention to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

“When the different parties comment on it, then I will comment. As long as nobody says anything I will do my job which is to take decisions,” said the coach, with Kylian Mbappe and PSG both yet to make any public pronouncements on his future.

Third-placed Monaco can move to within a point of Brest with a win at Strasbourg later on Sunday.

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Kylian Mbappe insisted he had “no problem” with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Luis Enrique after scoring a brace in his side’s win over Real Sociedad in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

Wearing the captain’s armband, Mbappe opened the scoring quarter of an hour into the second leg in San Sebastian and struck again early in the second half.

PSG won the game 2-1 to secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2021.

“It’s fine. There is no problem with him, even if people might think there is a problem. I do have problems but the coach is not one,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus when asked about his relationship with Luis Enrique.

Mbappe had either started on the bench or been substituted in each of PSG’s previous three Ligue 1 games since he informed the club he would be leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season.

He was replaced at half-time in last weekend’s 0-0 draw at former club Monaco, but he played the whole 90 minutes here and took his goals tally for the season to 34 in 34 matches.

“We are very, very pleased to be in the quarter-finals,” added Mbappe, who flourished in an attacking set-up which allowed him to come in from his favoured left flank, with Bradley Barcola on the right and Ousmane Dembele through the middle.

“I don’t have any message in particular. I just always want to play in the Champions League.

“It is a very important competition. I try to always perform. Sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but I will never be a player who hides.”

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Runners-up in 2020, PSG have never won the Champions League and had gone out in the last 16 in five of the last seven seasons.

“We are satisfied and happy. We played really well and stopped La Real from getting back into the tie,” Luis Enrique said.

Of Mbappe, he added: “There is no need to manage Mbappe. He manages himself.

“Normally he has freedom, but today he was fixed on the left wing from where we wanted him to be in a good position in the final third, because when you leave him in on goal he is lethal.”

PSG will now hope for a favourable draw in the last eight, both legs of which will take place in April.

“We have no pressure. We have not won the Champions League,” added the former Barcelona coach, who named a young starting line-up on Tuesday with an average age of under 24.

“Our team is clearly improving and we will see how far we can go.

“We are not putting extra pressure on the team. We are one of the youngest teams and this objective needs to be something to be excited about rather than a weight for us.

“It has to be a source of motivation and from there we will try to compete against whoever we play.”

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Luis Enrique has opened up about their star striker Kylian Mbappe potentially leaving the club and joining Real Madrid.

Reportedly, Mbappe told PSG officials on Thursday that he intends to leave the club following his contract expiration at the end of the season.

However, Enrique confirmed that he cannot provide any information to the media regarding the move at the moment.

“I have no information to give you,” Enrique said.

“Until the two parties involved speak publicly, I will not say anything.

“When the parties speak, I will give you my opinion.”

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Mbappe, who arrived in Paris from Monaco in 2017, had extended his contract in 2022 until 2024 but last summer declined to activate a clause allowing him to stay another year at PSG.

Mbappe has been widely tipped to move to Real Madrid and, according to a source close to the matter, has already entered negotiations with the Spanish giants.

Kylian Mbappe will leave PSG on a free transfer but the blow to the club will be softened by an agreement they reached last summer which will see the player waive bonuses amounting to around 60 to 70 million euros ($65.6 million to $76.6 million).

After seven seasons at PSG, Kylian Mbappe, the club’s all-time top scorer, looks set to seal a move to Real Madrid, the club that the player has dreamt of since he was a child.

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France captain Kylian Mbappe has told officials at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) that he intends to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said on Thursday. 

The 25-year-old, who arrived in Paris from Monaco in 2017, had extended his contract in 2022 until 2024 but last summer declined to activate a clause allowing him to stay another year at PSG.

Mbappe has been widely tipped to move to Real Madrid and, according to a source close to the matter, has already entered negotiations with the Spanish giants.

“The terms of the departure have yet to be fully agreed,” the source said, adding that the club and Mbappe will make an official statement “when everything is finalised in the next few months”.

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PSG declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

Kylian Mbappe will leave PSG on a free transfer but the blow to the club will be softened by an agreement they reached last summer which will see the player waive bonuses amounting to around 60 to 70 million euros ($65.6 million to $76.6 million).

After seven seasons at PSG, Kylian Mbappe, the club’s all-time top scorer, looks set to seal a move to Real Madrid, the club that the player has dreamt of since he was a child.

Real have made no secret of their desire to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu. In 2019, 2021 and 2022, club president Florentino Perez considered signing him, only to be rebuffed each time.

For PSG, the departure of their main star, a year after the exits of Neymar and Lionel Messi, marks the beginning of a new era of uncertainty.

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The future of Kylian Mbappe and his protracted courtship with Real Madrid is expected to be the key theme of the transfer window that opens in Europe on Monday.

Arsenal’s search for a proven goalscorer to spearhead their challenge for a first Premier League title since 2004 could also loom large.

Manchester City meanwhile are widely expected to let Kalvin Phillips leave the club, ending a disappointing stay for the former Leeds midfielder who has failed to make his mark at the world champions.

Much attention though will again focus on Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain’s lethal finisher and the man who a year ago scored a hat-trick for France in the World Cup final only to finish on the losing side.

Real Madrid are again the main suitor for the 25-year-old whose contract at PSG expires in June — will the 14-time European champions finally get a commitment from the player they have been pursuing for years?

It is far from certain though as Kylian Mbappe triggered an extraordinary reaction in France, illustrated when President Emmanuel Macron intervened to persuade him to stay at PSG in June 2022 when a move to Real seemed almost cut and dried.

Real are not sitting on their hands though. Endrick, the latest Brazilian starlet, will join the club from Palmeiras when he turns 18 in July 2024 for a fee reported to be 72 million euros.

Arsenal’s lack of a goalscoring edge could lead them to plunge into the market. For weeks, their rumoured target has been Ivan Toney, the Brentford forward whose ban for over 200 breaches of the Football Association’s gambling rules ends in mid-January.

However, Brentford’s decline in form which has seen them drop to within four points of the relegation places could persuade the club to hang onto 27-year-old Toney, even in the face of a big offer from the Gunners.

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Kalvin Phillips was riding high when the midfielder joined City on the back of England’s run to the Euro 2022 final, but he has played barely a handful of games for the club and Pep Guardiola has admitted the move never worked out.

Juventus have reportedly been keen to sign Phillips, who is desperate to force himself into England’s plans for Euro 2024, but reports from Italy say the club are cooling on the idea.

A move to Newcastle looks a more realistic possibility as the Magpies look to bolster a squad seriously depleted by injuries and the 10-month ban handed down to Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, also for gambling.

Eddie Howe’s men have slumped down the Premier League table in recent weeks and the Saudi-owned club looks badly in need of reinforcements if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Serhou Guirassy, the prolific Guinea international who has scored 17 Bundesliga goals so far this season for Stuttgart, has also been linked with a move to Tyneside.

Newcastle could also turn to their connections in the Saudi Pro League. They are allowed to sign players on loan from sides also controlled by their Saudi owners after a vote by Premier League clubs on a temporary ban on related-party loans failed to receive the required support.

However, one target, Ruben Neves, said in early December he would not accept a move to Newcastle because his family was happy in Saudi Arabia.

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino also headed to the Saudi league in the summer but is reportedly unsettled at Al Ahli.

The Brazilian, 32, could now be heading to their rivals Al Ettifaq, the club coached by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, although Premier League strugglers Sheffield United are also said to be interested in his services.

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Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) beat Metz 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Wednesday to reach the halfway stage of the season five points clear at the top of the table.

PSG, who had been held 1-1 at Lille at the weekend, laboured in the first half before Vitinha opened the scoring early in the second half by turning in a cross from Lee Kang-in.

Mbappe then took centre stage by extending the lead for PSG to 2-0 with a superb strike off the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Matthieu Udol pulled one back for the struggling visitors but Mbappe pounced on a short backpass to round the goalkeeper and make it 3-1 towards the end for his 18th league goal of the campaign.

His birthday was made even more memorable when his 16-year-old brother Ethan came on for his senior debut in stoppage time.

PSG ended the year with a comfortable five-point cushion over nearest challengers Nice, who defeated Lens 2-0 on Wednesday thanks to two late goals from Nigerian striker Terem Moffi.

Monaco are seven points behind the leaders in third place after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Toulouse, with Wissam Ben Yedder scoring both of their goals.

The principality side held on to take all three points despite having Aleksandr Golovin sent off early in the second half.

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Malian international Kamory Doumbia produced the individual performance of the evening by scoring four goals, all in the first half, as Brest beat Brittany rivals Lorient 4-0.

That result lifted Brest up into fourth, a Champions League qualifying berth, above a Lille side who were beaten 2-1 away at Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg.

Marseille are sixth after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at Montpellier, with Jordan Veretout scoring their goal in a game that was held up for five minutes in the second half after fireworks were set off at one end of the stadium.

Montpellier had a point deducted following an incident in their home match against Clermont earlier this season when the away side’s goalkeeper was hit by a firecracker thrown from the same stand.

“These guys are idiots, it’s incredible,” complained Montpellier coach Michel Der Zakarian on Wednesday.

“I don’t understand it. You are supposed to come to the stadium to support your team, not to set off fireworks.”

Japanese international Keito Nakamura got the only goal as Will Still’s Reims defeated Le Havre 1-0, while Rennes struck twice late on to claim a 3-1 victory at bottom club Clermont.

Meanwhile, Lyon climbed out of the bottom three as they beat Nantes 1-0 thanks to an Alexandre Lacazette goal.

It was a third consecutive victory for a team who had previously won just once all season, and the result lifted them two points above Toulouse, who now occupy the relegation play-off position.

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Star French striker Kylian Mbappe can win the Ballon d’Or in “any team”, Ronaldinho told AFP Sunday, but the Brazilian would like him to win it with Paris Saint-Germain, “a big club”.

“A great player like him can have the opportunity to win the Ballon d’Or in any team, but as I love PSG, I would like him to do it with PSG,” the 2002 World Champion said.

“I hope he will win it. He is a good friend and a very great player. I like his style of play,” he said during an interview with AFP in Thailand.

The prestigious award still eludes the French captain, who finished this year in third place — his best ranking to date.

“Winning the big competitions will help him a lot,” said Ronaldinho, who wore No.10 for PSG from 2001 to 2003.

“PSG is a great club,” the Brazilian said during a visit to Bangkok as an ambassador for Teqball, a novelty sport combining football and table tennis.

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Next year promises to be both busy and potentially uncertain for Mbappe.

The 24-year-old could see a possible run to the finals of the Champions League, as well as the Euro 2024 with PSG.

“As every year, it is very difficult (to win the Champions League). But PSG has a great coach, very great players, and therefore, everything is possible,” the former Barcelona and Milan player said.

But Paris coach Luis Enrique — under whom Ronaldinho played for a season at Barca in 2003 and 2004 — is a “very good coach.”

“As a player, he was very strong. I saw what he accomplished. I hope things go very well for him,” he said.

Mbappe also has to negotiate an uncertain contract, which could see his departure from Paris in June.

Real Madrid, which has been courting him for several years, appears best placed to attract him.

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Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won 3-0 away at high-flying Reims on Saturday to move to the top of the Ligue 1 table, although coach Luis Enrique was still not satisfied with the France captain’s performance.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the third minute in Champagne country and then netted twice more in the second half to give PSG a win which moved the reigning champions to the summit a point above Nice, who drew at Montpellier on Friday.

PSG were also grateful to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who denied Reims a route back into the game with a string of superb saves, as Luis Enrique’s team recovered from their midweek Champions League loss away to AC Milan.

Mbappe is Ligue 1’s leading scorer with 13 goals in 11 appearances this season, with the France captain also having netted twice in European competition.

Yet his coach was not entirely delighted with his superstar’s display.

“We know Kylian Mbappe’s worth, but he can do better. I want even more from him,” the Spaniard said.

“He is one of the world’s best players, but he still has a lot of room to get better. I don’t want him to rest on his laurels.”

Mbappe had earlier indicated that he was not completely pleased with his own game as he spoke to broadcaster Amazon Prime.

“In all modesty I don’t need to be playing well to score goals, but I want to do both, score goals and play well. That is my objective, to always help the team as well as I can,” Mbappe said.

Asked about bouncing back from the setback in Milan, Mbappe added: “It is a different competition and all we wanted to do was win. Nice drew and we wanted to take top spot. It’s job done and we are happy with that.

“We will have time to think about the Champions League but Ligue 1 is a different competition and that means a different mindset and a different way of playing.”

That 2-1 defeat in Milan on Tuesday left PSG’s hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout phase in the balance with two group games still to go, but they do finally appear to have found their rhythm domestically after a stuttering start to the campaign.

Luis Enrique’s team were targeting a fifth straight victory in Ligue 1 and they went ahead almost from the off as Mbappe met Ousmane Dembele’s cross from the right with a superb side-foot volley low across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner of the net.

Reims were denied an equaliser as a fine goal by Japanese international Junya Ito was disallowed for offside, and the same player was later denied by Donnarumma who also produced a superb reaction save from Amir Richardson before the interval.

A PSG side missing the suspended Achraf Hakimi and Randal Kolo Muani were again grateful to Donnarumma when the Italian repelled a Marshall Munetsi header on 56 minutes, and three minutes later they went 2-0 up.

Mbappe evaded his marker with a brilliant darting run to the back post where he converted a perfect assist rolled across the face of goal by Carlos Soler.

Donnarumma was at it again as he once more denied Zimbabwe midfielder Munetsi, before Mbappe finished off a cutback from substitute Bradley Barcola to make it 3-0 with eight minutes left.

Nice are still unbeaten this season after their stalemate on Friday in Montpellier, and they have still not been behind in a single game this season.

Reims remain in fourth place, while third-placed Monaco missed the chance to leapfrog Nice in the table as they drew 0-0 away to Le Havre in Saturday’s late match.

Monaco were fortunate to escape with a point, however, as Le Havre’s Samuel Grandsir had a penalty saved in the 10th minute of added time at the end of the game.

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Kylian Mbappe, Randal Kolo Muani and Lee Kang-in were all on target as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) got back to winning ways in the Champions League with an impressive 3-0 home victory against AC Milan on Wednesday.

PSG were eager to bounce back from their 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle United three weeks ago and they ultimately had too much attacking quality for their Italian visitors at the Parc des Princes.

Mbappe opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark with his 10th club goal this season, and his France teammate Kolo Muani added another shortly after half-time.

Lee then came off the bench to net the third late on, the South Korean star’s first for the club.

PSG thoroughly deserved their win, with the Ligue 1 side a different proposition from the disjointed team that was overloaded with forwards and overrun in midfield against Newcastle.

“We are very proud of our performance,” Kolo Muani told broadcaster Canal Plus.

“Winning these games gives everyone confidence and we need to carry on this way.”

Having started their European campaign with a 2-0 home win against Borussia Dortmund, PSG top Group F with six points ahead of a trip to Milan next.

The seven-time European champions are bottom of the section with two points and a big concern for Stefano Pioli’s side will be that they have yet to score in the group.

“Obviously we are not in a good position,” Pioli admitted.

“I was hoping Newcastle wouldn’t beat Dortmund because that would help us but we can’t just hope for other results to go our way.”

This game saw French international brothers Lucas Hernandez, the PSG defender, and Theo, the Milan captain, come up against each other.

It also saw PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his Milan counterpart Mike Maignan face the clubs with whom they started their careers.

But the stars of the show were elsewhere, with Mbappe –- who was hugged by a pitch invader in the first half — looking arguably sharper than he has done at any point up to now this season for PSG.

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery was exceptional in PSG’s midfield and his performance will not have gone unnoticed by France coach Didier Deschamps, who was watching from the stands.

“I am very pleased to be the man of the match, but it is a team effort first and foremost,” Zaire-Emery told Canal Plus.

“He does everything well, defensively and in attack. He is aggressive, good technically, has good vision, can score and set up goals,” said coach Luis Enrique.

“He is the perfect example for all young kids who want to be footballers and want to get to the highest level.”

Zaire-Emery made the opening goal in the 32nd minute when he collected possession in midfield, burst away from Tijjani Reijnders and found Mbappe, who advanced into the box before beating Maignan with an early, low shot into the corner.

That was a blow to Milan, who had started well and upset the Paris defence with their high pressing.

It was not just Zaire-Emery who impressed in the home midfield, with Vitinha continuing his fine form this season in a position close to Mbappe on the left.

Meanwhile Manuel Ugarte is the man who holds it all together, but his physical approach denied PSG a second goal three minutes after half-time.

Ousmane Dembele thought he had scored his first goal for the Qatar-owned club since signing from Barcelona in the close season, as he ran through to plant a low shot beyond Maignan.

However, Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic disallowed the goal following a VAR review for a foul by Ugarte on Yunus Musah in the build-up.

PSG didn’t have to wait long to make it 2-0 though, as Kolo Muani turned the ball into an empty net in the 53rd minute after Maignan had pushed out a Dembele shot.

Milan tried unsuccessfully to find a way back into the game, while Maignan intervened more than once to stop Mbappe from scoring again, notably touching a shot onto the outside of the post.

But the home side made it three in the 89th minute as Zaire-Emery powered down the right and set up Lee to score with a first-time strike.

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