The defeat of PSG on the turf of Borussia Dortmund is causing quite a stir among our European neighbors, where Mbappé’s rather mediocre performance did not go unnoticed.
A reality check, a wake-up call, a stumble, an air conditioning malfunction… Everyone can call PSG’s defeat on German soil as they wish, but one thing is certain: PSG did not meet the expected level. Certainly, there was a bit of bad luck, as the Parisians were thwarted by the woodwork several times, but they did not show the face of a serious contender for the final title.
And this, even though they had the status of a strong favorite for this match, which they still retain for the return leg next week. A match in which very few Parisians were at their best, especially in the attacking sector. Naturally, while a player like Bradley Barcola can be excused, Kylian Mbappé, on the other hand, was under scrutiny and did not deliver.
Rated 4/10 in our match ratings, he is receiving criticism and even mockery across Europe. “Dortmund shows PSG and Mbappé what the Champions League is all about,” headlines the Spanish media outlet Relevo, adding that “Mbappé disappears in the number 9 position.”
European media outlets are having a field day. “Mbappé crashes into the Wall,” says AS, referring to the famous yellow wall of Signal Iduna Park supporters, while Marca asserts that “Dortmund surprises a very discreet PSG.” “Terzic’s plan was enough to frustrate a Mbappé who didn’t get into his game as his team would have liked,” the newspaper adds in another article. “If this is Mbappé’s last dance with Paris before going to Real Madrid, he better step up his game next week. Mbappé was overshadowed by Niclas Fullkrug, but especially by Jadon Sancho,” quips the Daily Mail in England. “Parisian fans, confident, had already booked Eurostar tickets for the June 1st final in London. But it might be Jadon Sancho who ends up at Wembley,” teases The Sun.
“Third match of the season, first victory for BVB. In the most important match,” explains Gazzetta dello Sport, which also takes a dig at the Bondy native: “the most prominent French attacker was Dembélé, Mbappé was rarely seen and played with the handbrake on.” Curiously, the German press remains quite restrained and simply reports what happened on the field, without too much teasing of the Parisians, probably aware that anything can happen in the return leg and that the advantage of the Marsupials remains very slim…
Leave a Reply