After Rennes the previous day (1-1), Paris Saint-Germain scored a second consecutive draw in Ligue 1 on Friday March 1, in Monaco (0-0), at the opening of the 24th daytime. Despite everything, the Parisians remain well ahead of the championship (12 points ahead of Brest, which plays on Sunday), but as the end of Kylian Mbappé’s contract approaches and a certain departure ? announced to its leaders, but still unofficial ? at the end of the season, each choice of his coach, Luis Enrique, is scrutinized and interpreted.
Friday evening, the Parisian striker left prematurely at half-time, even earlier than against Rennes (65th minute). Kylian Mbappé remained on the ground for a few minutes around the half-hour mark, after battling with Monaco defender Guillermo Maripan. He held his right shin, before returning to the field to finish the half, without showing difficulty in his other races. And to finally be replaced by Randal Kolo Muani at the break.
“It’s 100% the coach’s decision. Sooner or later, you have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappé, I am making this decision for the good of the team,” explained Luis Enrique at a press conference, an argument already put forward the previous weekend. “I’ve been in football long enough to know that everything is important” in decisions, “sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong”, but “I don’t want to have any controversy, it’s my decision” to release it, the technician had also said a few moments earlier on Prime Video.
Mbappé relaxed
Kylian Mbappé appeared, after the start of the second act, relaxed and smiling, in a tracksuit. And he then went to the stands to sit next to his mother. Nothing that, on the surface, could interfere with the preparation for the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League against Real Sociedad.
For this European meeting, the Parisians have a small lead after the first leg (2-0 at the Parc des Princes) but also the nasty habit of making it difficult to travel away in the supreme competition. Especially since they are also suffering the absences for an unknown duration of Marquinhos and Danilo, and Marco Asensio left on Friday with an injury of uncertain seriousness.
For their part, the Monegasques may regret having come across a great Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Parisian goals, at the meeting of this poster of the French championship. In the first period, the Principality’s players were dominant by pressing high and preventing Parisian restarts. But they sinned in the finish, breaking their teeth on the Italian goalkeeper, who made a series of saves against Folarin Balogun (5th), Takumi Minamino (16th, 45th 3) and Maghnes Akliouche (29th). Wissam Ben Yedder did not target his recovery after his magnificent pivot control to erase Nordi Mukiele (42nd).
“Good preparation”
Among the Parisian attackers, apart from a very discreet Kylian Mbappé, Gonçalo Ramos was transparent. Marco Asensio, for his part, missed a lot, before his exit, and was replaced by Bradley Barcola. It was he who awakened the Parisian attack in the second half, with an energetic rush towards the axis, but his too neutral shot was easily captured by Majecki (62nd). He came up against the Monaco goalkeeper again five minutes later.
In the 75th minute, the returning Nuno Mendes made a breakthrough in the axis before alerting Vitinha on his left, but Majecki released his attempt, definitely in just as good an evening as his Parisian counterpart. As for Ousmane Dembélé, who replaced Ramos, he showed desire and percussion, as usual, but was rather harmless as he approached the surface.
In the end, this draw is “a fair result” and “good preparation” before facing Real Sociedad, judged Luis Enrique. “In the first half our opponent created more scoring chances, but in the second half we really reversed the trend, we were stronger,” he added.
