Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe set the record straight regarding his postgame remarks after the capital club lost 1-0 in the first-leg last Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes.
Mbappe noted that his remarks about what players on the squad needed to “eat well and sleep well” to overcome their deficit were not aimed at Neymar Jr. despite many in the French media creating speculation, especially after the Brazilian’s poker and fast food night this week.
The 24-year-old spoke with Prime Video after PSG’s thrilling 4-3 comeback victory, where he scored a brace, and was asked about the situation that caused controversy over the last few days.
“I saw that people were talking about Ney, about what happened,” Mbappe said postgame. “It was not a peak against Neymar. In this context, we need everything except a peak. It’s really advice for everyone. Because as I said, when you have everyone, we saw it at the start of the match; when everyone is there, the teams have to worry. I hope Ney will come back soon because he is a promising player for us.”
Mbappe might need to carry the team these next few, especially after Neymar suffered an apparent ankle injury in Sunday’s victory over Lille at the Parc des Princes. Lionel Messi might sprinkle in some magic, but the French forward will have to lead the way, which could include the game against Bayern Munich on March 8 at the Allianz Arena.