Kylian Mbappé is set to move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid. However, one pundit believes that despite his impressive goal tally, the French star had an underwhelming 2023-24 season.
Last weekend, PSG secured a 2-1 victory over Olympique Lyonnais in the Coupe de France Final at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. It marked Mbappé’s last game with the capital club. Though the 25-year-old didn’t score, he had the chance to lift one final trophy, rounding off this chapter in his career.
Nonetheless, pundit Johan Micoud believes that not too many are critical of the player for having a subpar season. The Frenchman had a disappointing UEFA Champions League semifinal tie against Borussia Dortmund as the capital club was unable to score, losing 2-0 on aggregate.
“Mbappé’s season is not extraordinary and has been masked by his goals,” Micoud said on La Chaîne L’EQUIPE (h/t Le10Sport). “There were matches where he went unnoticed. We talked more about the fact that he played less… but he played less because he wasn’t performing well! Luis Enrique surely had the authorization to release it if it was bad… Which he did! He didn’t take it out because he had great matches. If he had big matches, not sure he would have wanted to release it.
“What I praise in Mbappé is his character. His mental strength. Every time he wasn’t well, he would leave again. There I didn’t see him… But keep finding excuses and explanations for him because he’s not good. Continue to protect him! There he knew he was going to end his season at PSG. That he has a problem with his president is one thing, and it can be disturbing. But if you’re good on the pitch you give it your all.”
It’s a bittersweet ending, but it’s time for both parties to go their separate ways this summer, and for PSG, it marks a new era where, for now, there’s no true superstar that many have come used to seeing.
