Kylian Mbappé might be leaving Paris soon, but as long as he’s in the starting lineup for Paris Saint-Germain, they remain a formidable team.
The World Cup champion showcased his skills on Tuesday, scoring two impressive goals in a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad, securing PSG’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in three years.
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“We knew we had to stay focused from the start,” Mbappé commented after the match. “If they scored first, they would have gained momentum with their fans’ support. We had to put a stop to their hopes early on.”
“That’s exactly what we did, and we’re thrilled to be back in the quarterfinals,” he added.
PSG advanced 4-1 on aggregate, with Mbappé also scoring in the first leg’s 2-0 win in Paris three weeks ago. Reports suggest Mbappé has informed PSG of his intentions to leave after this season, likely for Real Madrid.
Despite significant investments to claim their first Champions League title, PSG has faced early exits in the last 16 stage five times in the past seven seasons. They reached the semifinals in 2021 and were runners-up in 2020.
“Our aim was to qualify, but we also wanted to win,” Mbappé mentioned. “We had a clear game plan, and we executed it by scoring early on. We managed the game well and avoided excessive pressure, except towards the end.”
Although he delivered a standout performance against Sociedad, Mbappé had gone scoreless in the previous two matches against Rennes and AS Monaco, being substituted in both – a decision that reportedly didn’t sit well with him.
However, Mbappé played the full 90 minutes on Tuesday and dismissed any issues with the PSG coach post-match.
“There is no problem with him, despite what people might think,” Mbappé clarified. “I have my own problems, but the coach is not one of them.”
Luis Enrique concurred, stating, “I don’t have any issue with any player.”
“He can deliver 50 goals and 25 assists with any coach,” asserted the PSG coach. “To me, he is the best player in the world in the final third, unstoppable. Today, he also showcased his ability to retain possession when needed and then attack the open field.”
With his two goals against Sociedad, Mbappé became the second-youngest player to reach 45 Champions League goals in group stage and knockout matches at 25 years and 76 days. Lionel Messi achieved this feat at 24 years and 257 days, while Mbappé’s tally now stands at 46 goals.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.