Trips in Forez are particularly successful for Kylian Mbappé.
He scored one of his most beautiful goals in February 2019 (1-0).
There he slammed a scoring double in December 2019 (4-0), including a second goal concluded at the time of a memorable fireworks display from the Saint-Etienne stands.
So what better, this Wednesday evening (9 p.m.), to launch 2021 than this trip to Geoffroy-Guichard, against the 14th in Ligue 1?
Especially since, since his arrival in 2017, Mbappé still scores at least one goal during his first appearance in January.
Pochettino's PSG
Active member of Thomas Tuchel's council of wise men, the world champion lost a trainer he appreciated despite some disagreements in spring 2019. With Mauricio Pochettino, it's a leap into the unknown.
During Tuesday's training, the two men exchanged a lot, the Argentinian seeking the Frenchman's feelings during certain exercises.
This Wednesday evening in Saint-Etienne, Mbappé will start on the left side of the Parisian attack.
A position not frozen in time.
"Great players like Kylian can play in several positions," said Pochettino during a press conference stingy with compliments.
The most important are the areas of play, how he attacks space, how to best use his skills.
The challenge is to place it in the best conditions so that it is decisive.
In the league, he already sits in first place in scorers (12 units), all with limited playing time (9 starts).
His future
The immediate future concerns his physical state.
Before the break, muscle fatigue in the adductors spoiled his acceleration and speed capacities, forcing him to miss the shocks against OL (0-1) or to start on the bench in Lille (0-0).
The few days of rest between Paris and Marrakech, his vacation spot, probably relieved the organism.
The closest objective is now to find a constant cruising speed until the knockout stages of the Champions League against Barça (February 16 - March 10).
The more distant future is to be sought in the summer of 2021. With the lease to be extended from Neymar, that of Bondynois is THE priority of Leonardo, sports director.
Nothing is, at this stage, decided.
Mbappé wants to win with a competitive PSG.
It is certain that an extension will not pass without sports guarantees.
It remains to monitor the financial situation of Paris and other candidates (Liverpool, Real, Barça…).
The health crisis has reshuffled the cards and it seems difficult to imagine a transfer to 200 million euros this summer.
The Euro but not the Olympics?
Whatever he decides, Mbappé would have a good idea by completing his future before mid-June.
Didier Deschamps appreciates only moderately to see his players disturbed by the transfer window.
And, three years after the World Cup revelation, the Blues hope to be able to confirm their status at the Euro (June 11 - July 11).
Which seems difficult to achieve without a great Mbappé.
With the Champions League, the Euro is his other big target.
As for the Tokyo Olympics, they will no doubt have to do without the presence of the French prodigy.
Already brought back to the reality of the calendar by his club in 2020, Mbappé observes like everyone else the damage of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The uncertainty around the holding of these Olympics, the presence of the public and an increasingly busy schedule greatly remove his dream.
The 2024 meeting in Paris is a more credible horizon.