Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has come out to defend his decision to substitute forward Kylian Mbappe in their 1-1 draw at home against Stade Rennes yesterday.
The French international has agreed to sign with Real Madrid in the summer.
Mbappe subbed-off
He was substituted out against Rennes in the 65th minute, having not added to his season total of 21 goals. The decision sparked surprise amongst fans, as their most potent player was being taken off at a time when the team was trailing. Enrique, addressing the situation, explained his reasons for making the decision.
Enrique’s statement
“We have to get used to not playing with Kylian, sooner or later it’s going to happen,” Enrique said, as per BBC.
“When I consider it appropriate, he will play or not play, as all coaches do with their players.
“I want maximum competitiveness for next season. I want every starting player in this PSG team to think that this is a great opportunity. That’s what I’m looking for this season and next season.”, he added.
Amine Gouiri gave Rennes the lead in the first half, but Goncalo Ramos’ stoppage-time penalty gave the Ligue 1 leaders a point.
With 54 points from 23 games, PSG leads the league by 11 points and has not lost in their last 18 league games, while Rennes, on the other hand, sits at seventh.
PSG will be playing away against Monaco in Ligue 1 on March 1, 2024.
