PSG coach claims he didn't hear Mbappe boos
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has said he did not hear the boos aimed at Kylian Mbappé from the club’s fans ahead of his last game at the Parcs des Princes.
Mbappé, the club’s all-time top scorer, recently confirmed his departure from the Ligue 1 champions after seven years. Whistles and boos were heard as his name was announced in the lineups before Sunday’s game against Toulouse.
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“I didn’t hear any booing,” Luis Enrique said. “I heard lots of support. All I heard was applause, chants and joy, which I think it was what Kylian deserved. The fans were superb, as always.”
As Mbappé ran onto the pitch to warm up before Sunday’s 3-1 defeat, PSG’s ultra supporters displayed a huge banner with a giant image of Mbappé and the message: “Child from the Parisian suburbs, you became a legend of PSG.”
“I thought it [the tribute] was fantastic and very heartfelt,” Luis Enrique said. “It’s beautiful to recognise the work of a player of his level. He is without a doubt a legend of the club despite his youth. We still have some game left. I wish him the best of luck in his sporting career.”
There were also reports in France of a disagreement on Sunday between Mbappé and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi ahead of the game, but a club spokesperson denied this.
“It is disappointing to see more fake news circulating this evening,” the club spokesperson told ESPN on Monday. “There has been no dispute whatsoever. The President and Kylian have regularly met before matches to finalise the end of season departure arrangements. Every meeting has been constructive and respectful, including before the match last night.”
Mbappé, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid as a free agent this summer, played 90 minutes on Sunday and scored his 27th league goal of the season.
When asked why he didn’t substitute Mbappé so that the player could be given a standing ovation, Luis Enrique said: “I didn’t think about taking him off because every time I have done so, you [press] have made such a fuss about it. So I thought I would keep him 90 minutes so that no one gets annoyed.”
Luis Enrique, meanwhile, did not play Keylor Navas on Sunday despite the veteran goalkeeper posting a farewell message to PSG fans on Instagram ahead of his last game at the Parcs des Princes.
Navas, 37, whose contract with PSG expires in June, wrote: “Every second spent at the Parc des Princes was wonderful…It was an honour to defend this badge in this incredible stadium. I still have goals to achieve, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to say goodbye to what was my home.”
Asked why he chose to leave Navas on the bench and start Arnau Tenas in goal after resting PSG’s No.1 Gianluigi Donnarumma, Luis Enrique said: “Regarding Keylor, I haven’t had any news that it was his last game at the Parcs des Princes. So I make decisions based on what was best for the team.”
Navas got an ovation from the PSG crowd during the league title celebrations after the game.
ESPN writer Julien Laurens contributed to this story.
