At the beginning of February when Kylian Mbappé is free to commit wherever he wants, the soap opera surrounding his future has his entire club in suspense.
Even an entire championship and an entire country, which has not yet sold its TV rights for the next three years.
A man of well-kept secrets, the Parisian striker has already settled another debate: that on the ranking of scorers.
There was already little suspense at the start of the season and there is even less at the start of 2024. Even on a bad evening, the Parisian number 7 increases the gap that separates him from Wissam Ben Yedder and Alexandre Lacazette, respectively at 10 and 9 goals, and spreads his canvas a little more in this Ligue 1 which he could leave in a few months.
In Strasbourg, however, everything started badly.
In a first quarter of an hour that the Alsatians dominated, at least with desire, the captain of the French team obtained a penalty, following a foul by Lucas Perrin on Randal Kolo Muani.
Facing Alaa Bellaarouch (22 years old), just promoted to number 1 after the unexpected departure of Matz Sels on Thursday at the end of the transfer window, Mbappé presented himself to score his twentieth goal of the season.
When he returned from the locker room, he had a message for his partners
But in the euphoria of a prestigious first, the Moroccan goalkeeper who had gone through the Mohammed VI academy relaxed to deflect a penalty over the bar that lacked precision and power and was taken halfway up (6th).
Mbappé gritted his teeth, aware of having missed an opportunity which would have relieved his partners in a turbulent start.
The rest was just as mixed and the captain of the Blues did not get any clear opportunity until the Alsatian goalkeeper made a mistake.
On a clearance, the latter saw his ball blocked by Asensio, before returning to the Parisian number 7 who scored in the empty goal.
Like a stroke of luck in an evening without much inspiration (1-0, 31st).
He himself seemed to be aware of it.
Before the break, the gestures of the 2018 world champion reflected a form of annoyance after a dull first period.
But as a good vice-captain, Mbappé quickly switched to a conquering mode before transmitting the word to his partners.
Strasbourg-PSG: even on Prime Video, no one saw Mbappé's missed penalty
➡️ https://t.co/FEJgWW2Kjg pic.twitter.com/6iWdCpSlDf
— The Parisian |
PSG (@le_Parisien_PSG) February 2, 2024
Upon returning from the locker room, he spoke in turn to Marco Asensio, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marquinhos then Manuel Ugarte and Fabian Ruiz to make them understand that from now on they had to accelerate.
And now.
He did what he said: on a counter, Ruiz threw it on the left and Mbappé, with a delicious outside right, gave Asensio the break goal (2-0).
Without forcing, Paris took the lead and Mbappé allowed himself to respond to the whistles from the East stand with a few shots.
With this impression, that in the end, he did the job.
Once again.
Without being brilliant, Mbappé remains untouchable.