Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique substituted Kylian Mbappé for Randal Kolo Muani in a goalless match against AS Monaco, marking the second consecutive game with such a move and sparking a dramatic event.
The player joined his mother in the stands rather than staying on the bench alongside his teammates. TV cameras captured the PSG star on his phone, while a journalist shared a clip of Mbappé engaging with fans, even taking a selfie.
Enrique has noted that the squad needs to learn to play without the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner. The Spanish manager has stuck to that response, and ESPN FC pundit Ale Moreno believes this is a power play from the 53-year-old.
“I think this is more of a power play by Luis Enrique, really, and it’s more him making sure that everybody knows that he’s the one making the decisions and that it’s not as powerful as Kylian Mbappé may seem from the outside,” Moreno said on Friday’s ESPN FC. “That is not Kylian Mbappé, and that the interest of Luis Enrique is PSG and the welfare of PSG, not Kylian Mbappé. I suppose this is where he’s going with this decision.
“I don’t think it makes a whole lot of sense because guess what? You’re still in competitions. And while Ligue 1 seems to be one, what about [the] Champions League? Don’t you want this team to be flying, going into [the] Champions League with the best rhythm possible, with your player, with your best player playing at the highest level possible? I’m just saying I would do it differently if I were him.”
This momentum isn’t ideal as the team prepares for the second leg against Real Sociedad in the Champions League Round of 16 tie. It remains to be seen if Enrique will rely on the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner for this crucial match.