“At the break, I could have made five changes perfectly. No problem. Five players could very well have gone out, but I only made one and it was this one.. This is what Luis Enrique said, interviewed a few minutes after the draw (1-1) conceded by Paris Saint-Germain against OGC Nice at the end of the 7th day of Ligue 1. Asked about his decision to release Randal Kolo Muani at the break, the Spanish technician – now renowned for his anchored, even fixed ideas – once again perfectly assumed his choice. It must also be said that the French international (23 caps, 6 goals) – called up for the next meeting of the Blues – did not really give his coach any headaches during the first act…
Credited with a 3.5 by the FM editorial team, the former Eintracht Frankfurt scorer still seems to be struggling in the system designed by the former La Roja coach. Lonely and little found by his teammates, RKM only touched 17 small balls against the incisive and largely dominant Aiglons during the first 45 minutes. Technically imprecise (8 lost balls) and uninspired in his deliveries, the 1m87 right-hander ultimately never had any influence in this meeting. An insufficient performance then pushed Luis Enrique to take him off the field. Replaced by Kang-In Lee – back in a role of false number 9 which seems to correspond more to the Spaniard’s playing principles – Kolo Muani therefore experienced another more than contrasting evening.
One failed outing too many?
Unable to impose himself under the Parisian tunic despite the absence of Gonçalo Ramos, the one who sees his contract run until June 2028 still cannot find the key. With two small achievements in nine matches, the number 23 of the Rouge et Bleu today remains a possible option more than a reliable alternative in the eyes of his coach. Proof of this is that he has only started two games as a starter since the start of the season. So obviously, his case divides. Some observers, in this respect, emphasize the low impact of the person concerned and his difficulties in making the difference in the last thirty meters.
Others, however, prefer to undermine the management of Luis Enrique vis-à-vis his protégé or the choice made by the capital club to pay nearly 100 million euros for a profile which does not seem to correspond to the expectations of the Parisian architect. How, in fact, can you restore confidence in a player by using him in this way? The equation remains more than complex. In the meantime, Randal Kolo Muani – author of five goals in his last six starts for the France team – will offer himself a new breath of fresh air on the occasion of this international break where the Blues will challenge Israel, Thursday at Budapest, then Belgium, the following Monday, in Brussels.
