Mbappe’s every gesture will be scrutinized and every move analyzed after the World Cup winner’s attitude made headlines for the wrong reasons in his first appearance of the season last weekend.
The first two games, in league one, due to suspension and then injury, the France striker made a comeback and registered a 5–2 win over Montpellier.
He nevertheless saved a penalty and then appeared to try unsuccessfully to persuade Neymar to deliver the ball when PSG was awarded another spot-kick.
In what was his first competitive game since confirmation last season that he was staying in Paris instead of joining Real Madrid, Mbappe cut a dismayed, sad and even isolated man .
This has raised doubts in France that Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi can flourish together.
Last season, Mbappe was PSG’s outstanding performance, scoring 39 goals in all competitions, while Neymar and Messi struggled for form and fitness.
Yet the two South Americans are looking fresh this season, with the Brazilian in particular scoring five goals in three matches.
“He is really happy,” said Neymar midfielder Marco Verratti, who insisted last month that he wanted to stay at Paris, amid speculation the club was looking to sell.
“I think the players that we have, when you see they are happy, they pass it on to everybody.
“We need these players if we want to be one of the strongest teams in the world. He’s off to a great start to the season.”
Yet last weekend Mbappe did not look happy, although he was defended by his coach Christophe Gaultier, who insisted the striker was not yet fully fit.
“He is a top-class player with a personality and character. Everyone expresses himself in his own way,” Gaultier said.
Sunday’s game sees Gaultier back at Lille, the club that won the title in 2021 before leaving to spend a season in Nice.
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