PSG played a new Ligue 1 match at home against Toulouse (3-1) on May 12. But the main thing was elsewhere. All eyes were on the post-match, during which the club chose not to celebrate Kylian Mbappé, a few days after his departure was made official.
Publish: Amended:
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Comment on what you know about the best part of its history, which makes sports part of the audience and humanity part of the direction of this season? To this question, PSG refused to answer this Sunday evening, for Kylian Mbappé’s last appearance at the Parc des Princes against Toulouse. A match played for the 33rd day of Ligue 1, but 3-1, without sports injury, but which remains in the memories.
“ From the Parisian suburbs, you become a PSG legend », displayed the Auteuil corner a quarter of an hour before kick-off. This legendary term has sparked debate in recent days, to know whether or not the Bondynois should be the employer. In reality, the debate was mainly opened by the disappointment of the unexpected elimination in the Champions League, during which “KM7” was not there. But the ultras decided this Sunday: after more than 300 matches played, yes, the man is one. Enough to whistle a big tifo in his honor, representing the attacker carrying out his signature celebration, arms crossed, crowned with laurels, between a few smoke bombs.
The last of Kylian Mbappé at the Parc des Princes is next on @RFI !
The Parisian ultras celebrate their number 7 to leave PSG!– Sophiane Amazian (@SophianeAmazian) May 12, 2024
The which partially erase the colors of a part of the Park, then still not very full, during the first announcement of the team composition before the match. Whistles quickly forgotten during the opening of the score from the person concerned, after having put down Guillaume Restes and finished in the empty goal, in minute number 7 like his jersey, quite a symbol. And this, when I saw Toulouse in a past three at a native PSG.
No celebration for Mbappé
The Bondynois ensemble has been doing everything wrong in Paris in recent months, or at least that will be the image we will keep, its communication has been impeccable in the home stretch. Officialization of the departure of the son from the park, just to definitively place the ball in the court of the Parisian management in terms of the tribute; Barbecue shared with some of the CUP ultras the evening of the announcement of his departure, just to finish ensuring the support of the Auteuil turn for the eternal images of his last evening in the capital; and finally accounts settled without clumsy tackles, even failing to thank Nasser al-Khelaïfi, with whom he has been at odds since he communicated his choice not to extend, in his farewell message posted on Instagram and viewed more 100 million times.
A message prepared in secret, or in any case without distorting the meaning. What the club obviously had little taste for, and what it can hide behind in the future in the event of criticism about the lack of depth of the farewells. And there will be reproaches. Or debates, a minimum, on the place that the club gave to its star this evening. This also means, in the light of Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani or Marco Verratti, the City of Lights has had its share of failed farewells. This evening, Mbappé will not have been entitled to anything.
The fireworks, the symphony orchestra, the giant screen projected in the middle of the lawn… none of it was intended for him. Only Michel Montana, the club’s spokesperson also on the department, chanted the name of captain of the Blues into the microphone, also on the initiative of the staff. Even in the pre-match hosted by the club, the name of Kylian Mbappé was skillfully avoided. “ The evening event is of course the title of champion of France », announced the presenters.
Paris lost, the club won?
And yet, the Frenchman packs his bags on good terms with the rest of the world. Even with his coach, Luis Enrique, who did not tremble when it was necessary to write the Bondynois’ name among the substitutes on the match sheets. Even these two men, who did not understand each other, have immense respect for each other. This is the result of the fracture with the help of PSG.
This time, Paris Saint-Germain has to endure the match, but Kylian Mbappé won in his. While he was perceived, sometimes, as a man to whom the club gave everything, even the keys to the truck over the last two seasons, and also he did not deliver the glory hoped for. Even rather controversies sometimes, through cleverly orchestrated declarations to put his management under pressure, or Instagram story posts at the appropriate time in order to make it known that he does not like his position on the ground. This last evening in the capital transformed it into a legend that an institution that had recently entered the big leagues was unable to honor.
Not sure that these festivities reflect the souls and honor of “KM7”. Perhaps the club, or even the player and his entourage, their communication skills no longer needing to be proven, are still reserving a goodbye in their Channel. The image that rests in the evening is probably the evening.