Bayern Munich full-back Josip Stanisic had arguably one of the more arduous challenges of his career during the Croatian national team’s 1-0 UEFA Nations League home group stage win against France earlier this month. The versatile defender was dealt with the task of defending against Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe out on the flanks.
Stanisic held his own for much of the contest, recording six tackles and winning all seven of his ground duels. On the other hand, Mbappe came away from the match without a goal.
Speaking to the German-based outlet Kicker (via Net.hr), Stanisic took a look back on his duel with Mbappe, where he noted that he had to keep a close watch on the forward’s electric speed.
“His pace is well known, so as a defender you have to keep your distance because when he’s gone you can’t catch up,” Stanisic said. “I tried to defend smartly, which worked well. I’m up against quick players like Kingsley Coman in training. I knew what I had to do.”
If Bayern Munich and PSG end up meeting in next season’s UEFA Champions League competition, Mbappe could once again have to face off with the promising Croatian talent.
