Parisian coach Luis Enrique had some very strong words for Ethan Mbappe’s Ligue 1 debut on Wednesday evening.
Paris Saint-Germain welcomed promoted side Messin at the Parc des Princes for the 17th round of Ligue 1 matches on Wednesday evening. On paper, it looked an easy fixture for the Parisians, who were looking to bounce back after drawing away to Lille. And the Parisians made no mistake (3-1). With Kylian Mbappé in particular, who was decisive with a brace.
It was an opportunity for Luis Enrique to set the record straight once again on his relationship with the Bondy hotshot. Speaking to Canal Plus, the Paris coach assured us that all was well between the two men. “Kylian will score 50 goals with every coach in the world. If all goes well between us? They always are! I have a superb relationship with all the players and with Kylian too, right from the start. He’s a 25-year-old player but he’s very mature. I’ve always said that he has a smile on his face. In the big teams, you always talk about a lot of things, and that’s also what sells. But my relationship with Kylian and the other players is very good.
But Kylian was not the only Mbappé on the menu. Ethan Mbappé also made his debut for PSG on Wednesday evening, and in a press conference relayed by Abdellah Boulma, Luis Enrique was full of praise for the young Parisian. “Ethan is a very interesting player, he can play in several positions. I’m sure he’ll play again. He has a prestigious surname, which is hard to live up to…”.
So now PSG’s 2023 season is over. The capital club will spend the festive season as Ligue 1 leaders, and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, with Real Sociedad as an affordable opponent. Prior to that, the winter transfer market will be opening its doors, and could soon come to an end for the Parisians with the announcement of the Lucas Beraldo (Sao Paulo) and Gabriel Moscardo (Santos) deals, which appear to have been completed.
Luis Enrique was quick to mention the Mercato in his press conference, when asked about the rotation that is the norm in his team. His clear request to his managers was that the team continue to be improved with each transfer market. “It’s important that the player feels that this is a great team, and I have two players for each position. I hope that we can continue to improve our squad in future transfers. Regardless of the players, this is a team that’s fighting for titles. You have to put people on the pitch, in the stands or on the bench. That’s my way of managing things,” said Luis Enrique after the match.
Mbappé’s message for Ethan’s debut
The Mbappé family had every reason to be happy on Wednesday evening. Kylian Mbappé celebrated his 25th birthday with a remarkable brace against Metz (3-1), including a magnificent goal from the top corner. At the very end of the match, his almost 17-year-old younger brother Ethan made his debut for the capital club, coming on for Carlos Soler in the dying minutes.
Speaking to PSG TV after the match, Ethan Mbappé made no secret of his delight at finally getting his pro adventure off to an official start. “It’s always a pleasure, especially to have made my debut at the Parc des Princes in front of the fans. I’m very happy and I hope there will be more. I think it’s a great present for my brother, I’m very happy for him and for myself too. He scored two great goals, so I think he’ll be happy. The joy was shared by Kylian Mbappé, who made no secret of his emotion.
The PSG star even said that more than his brace, PSG’s victory or his birthday, his brother’s entrance was the real highlight of his evening. “I’m happy, Ethan is loving it, but I’m even happier as his big brother. I never thought I’d have a special day like this, and I’m really going to remember this match. Ethan’s entrance is the most important thing for me, even if winning and scoring is always special. It’s a great day!
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