“It will be his last match at the Parc in the European Cup, you will see”, “this will be his last match at the Parc in Ligue 1, you will see”, “this will be his last match with PSG, you will see”. Kylian Mbappé’s fans may have assured that their champion was going to smash everything for his last outings with PSG, we didn’t see much. Only 1 small goal (against Toulouse, during the 1-3 defeat) in his last 5 appearances with PSG. Including two completely missed performances against Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final of the Champions League.
Against Olympique Lyonnais on Saturday evening, repeat in the Coupe de France final. Rated 3.5 by our editorial team, Kylian Mbappé went through the meeting without impacting it, despite numerous strike attempts, often forced. Where was the impactful player who delighted Ligue 1 all these years? We haven’t seen him for several weeks. Borrowed physically, making little difference with the ball, eaten up in duels and even in speed at times, the 25-year-old striker appears far from his best form.
For many, this was the consequence of a season that got off to a bad start, due to its scheduled departure. Sidelined at the start of the season, carried around on the left and in the center by Luis Enrique, then regularly put on the bench following the internal announcement of his decision, Mbappé has had to overcome many pitfalls this season. The problem is that he has always publicly assured that he is in good shape, not being disturbed, and assuming his status as an offensive leader. And that didn’t really hold true. Despite everything, he ended up with the best player trophy, and his 27 goals in Ligue 1 once again made him top scorer.
Still, an unpleasant impression remains in mind. That of a player without juice, without ideas, who finds it increasingly difficult to connect with his partners. And inevitably, this is worrying a few weeks before the start of Euro 2024 in Germany. In what physical state will Didier Deschamps recover his player? Will he be able to overcome the mental wear and tear of this interminable season? And where will he line it up? On one side or in the axis? For the French team to go far in the competition, it will take a much more convincing Mbappé than the one seen with PSG against Dortmund or OL.
