“Lacked the Energy” – PSG Boss Luis Enrique Defends Benching Kylian Mbappe & Others for FC Nantes Faceoff

Luis Enrique & Co. were expected to have a tricky encounter against FC Nantes. After all, they barely had time to regroup following their Champions League clash against Real Sociedad. However, the immense individual quality of the Parisian side came to the front as they beat Nantes 2-0. Yet, the talking point of the night was the sight of Kylian Mbappe on the bench. Some other big hitters also accompanied him. And the Spanish coach has explained his decision, which doesn’t seem to be related to the Frenchman’s impending exit.

In a recent presser, Enrique clarified his decision to bench the likes of Mbappe, Dembele, and Hakimi. He said (translated via DeepL), “We played a Champions League match two days ago. Some players lacked the energy to play, so we had to rotate them.” He also outlined PSG’s lofty targets as a reason for the rotation. Enrique explained, “Our objectives are ambitious, we’re fighting for all the titles, so we need to get all the players involved. Five players didn’t start the Champions League match. We had to rotate them.”

Two players who didn’t start the UCL encounter were Lucas Hernandez & Kang-in Lee. Being prominent players this season, eyebrows were raised when they were not in the starting lineup against Real Sociedad. However, it later came to be known that the duo were suffering from a virus attack, that affected the PSG camp. The duo started the Nantes game with Hernandez even bagging a goal. Their recovery from illness is good news for the coaching staff.

Speaking of goals, Kylian Mbappe came from the bench to score PSG’s second of the night. This takes his tally for the season to 32. The winger will likely depart from the club this summer and replacing his quality will be a tough ask for PSG. However, Enrique provided an intriguing answer regarding Mbappe’s decision.

Luis Enrique says ‘team is above individuality’ amid Kylian Mbappe’s decision

Kylian Mbappe’s future is undoubtedly the hot topic in soccer right now. Enrique was questioned on the same, but he chose a diplomatic tone. The Spanish coach said, “I have no information to give you until the parties involved speak publically, I will not say anything.” However, he added, “As always, the team is above all individuality.”

Read More: Eyeing Kylian Mbappe’s Move to Real Madrid, PSG Boss Lays Out Bold Financial Demands: Reports

Interestingly, neither the club nor the Frenchman has given an official answer regarding the question. The news comes from reliable soccer journalists. However, as Enrique says, PSG is ‘fighting for all titles’. Perhaps Kylian Mbappe wants to focus on signing off on a high by winning the one title that he has yet to win, the UCL.

Where will Kylian Mbappe play next season? Tell us your predictions in the comments below.

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