This ongoing saga between Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has become football’s longest-running soap opera. Many wonder if this will be the final season for both parties. If they will realize they are better off without each other.
Leonardo, former sporting director of PSG, has finally come to the realization, albeit too late to keep his job, that Mbappe’s ego is too large for Parc des Princes. He now believes it is time for Mbappe to leave PSG, regardless of the circumstances. Leonardo emphasizes that PSG existed before Mbappe and will continue to exist after him. He points out that in the six seasons Mbappe has been with PSG. Five different clubs (Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Manchester City) have won the Champions League, none of which had Mbappe in their squads. This demonstrates that winning the competition is possible without him.
It is surprising that it took Leonardo so long to understand that by indulging nearly every Mbappe request, PSG unintentionally created a monster. Christopher Dugarry, a former French international, expressed concerns about Mbappe’s attitude four years ago. Dugarry focused on Mbappe’s post-match comments after scoring a hat-trick against Club Brugge in the Champions League. Mbappe revealed his desire to start the game and asserted that it was difficult to do without him. While most pundits viewed this as the mindset of a confident champion, Dugarry saw it as a growing sense of entitlement and feared that Mbappe could become a prima donna at PSG.
Despite occasional outbursts and constant flirting with a move to Real Madrid, Mbappe largely evaded serious scrutiny due to his consistent on-field performances. However, this cannot excuse his disruptive behavior and public airing of grievances. PSG’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, rightly decided that unless Mbappe signs a contract extension, he will be sold this summer. The club cannot afford to lose the world’s most valuable player on a free transfer next year.
PSG’s Opportunity to End the Power Play
This situation also presents an opportunity for PSG to put an end to the power play that has plagued them for far too long. PSG aspires to be considered a serious club, and facilitating this ongoing farce contradicts that ambition.
PSG finds themselves in this predicament due to their excessive pampering of Mbappe. Now, they must minimize the consequences and come to a decision. While we can criticize PSG for their mistakes, it is important to openly acknowledge the inappropriate behavior displayed by Kylian Mbappe. It can be described as nothing less than indecency. He exploited the situation a year ago. Now he is repeating the same pattern by threatening to leave on a free transfer next year.
The ongoing drama must come to an end this summer. PSG needs to move forward without Mbappe and free themselves from the monster they inadvertently created.
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