“I will never hide in my life. ” At the microphone of RMC Sport, Kylian Mbappé released this sentence, Tuesday, February 16, after the 4-1 victory of his Paris-Saint-Germain in Barcelona. Without the beginning of a smile, he just said it between a few words of circumstances to praise his new coach (Mauricio Pochettino) “And his wonderful work” or recall the existence of a return match; which is never completely trivial in a round of 16 first leg between Paris-Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona in the Champions League.
Everything Mbappé is summarized here. When a stagnant trial looms after three games without scoring for the top scorer in Ligue 1 – because the times judge quickly and often to charge – the striker responds on the field with two qualities essential to those claiming to leave a trace in their sport: talent and pride. A hat-trick on the lawn of a Camp Nou, even in front of its 99,000 empty seats, classifies you as your player. And rather very high.
With the packages of Brazilian Neymar and Argentinian Angel Di Maria, the whole question was not whether the 2018 world champion would take on the costume of his team’s boss, but rather whether this role would not risk losing it. ” encourage people to replace those absent, to force their nature, to demand the balls to play the demiurges. At 22, it is not forbidden to search a little, to redefine your style by going towards other pleasures than pure speed, its first quality.
He then comes to mind his words at the end of his first season in Paris. Mbappé has been able to vote and drive for less than a year but warns: “You don’t tell me about age. You only talk to me about football and level. “
This Tuesday, February 16, this level was to be found in the synonyms proposed for “stratospheric”. First action and first call for the ball, Mbappé feels the ball slipped deep by Marco Verratti, but lacks control in front of Ter Stegen, Barça goalkeeper, fishing far from his goals. For the rubric of “failures” that’s about it.
Mbappé’s promise to his trainer
The rest is as much a demonstration of the Parisian striker as a collective sinking of the teammates of Lionel Messi. Yes, the Argentinean still shoots the penalties well, but that’s it. At least for this evening. The one following a fault more unfortunate than intentional by Laywin Kurzawa on Frankie de Jong just maintained the illusion to allow his team to lead 1-0 (28e).
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