Global News Desk:
Paris Saint-Germain
coach Luis Enrique said he took Kylian Mbappe off "for the good of the
team" as the France captain was substituted at half-time in Paris
Saint-Germain's 0-0 draw away to Monaco on Friday.
Mbappe was not
injured and emerged from the PSG dressing room at the start of the second half
in a tracksuit, smiling and talking on the phone before taking a seat in the
stand to watch the remainder of the game.
Without him, PSG were perhaps fortunate to leave the
principality with a draw which nevertheless allows them to stretch their lead
at the top of the French table to 12 points from Brest, who are in action on
Sunday.
They edge a step
closer to retaining the French title, but the focus for Luis Enrique's side is
principally on Tuesday's Champions League last-16 second leg away to Real
Sociedad, into which they take a 2-0 lead from the first meeting last month.
It remains to be seen what
role Mbappe will play in that game, given that he has now either started on the
bench or been replaced in each of his club's three matches since he told the
Qatar-owned club he would leave at the end of this season.
"It was 100
percent the coach's decision, because sooner of later we will have to get used
to playing without Kylian Mbappe," Luis Enrique said.
"I took
this decision for the good of the team." Mbappe informed PSG in mid-February that he intended to depart
when his contract expires in June, after seven years at the Parc des Princes,
with Real Madrid his likely next destination.
Luis Enrique responded to that by leaving the 25-year-old
on the bench for their next game at Nantes, although Mbappe came on to score a
penalty in a 2-0 win. He then started last week's home meeting with Rennes and
wore the captain's armband in the absence of usual skipper Marquinhos, but was
substituted on 65 minutes with PSG trailing at the time in a game they ended up
drawing 1-1.
On Friday he was replaced by Randal Kolo Muani at the
break at the Stade Louis II without any obvious sign of an injury, although he
did go down under a challenge from Monaco defender Guillermo Maripan during the
first half. "I am not going to play this game. For me there is
no problem, this is just how I want to handle things," added PSG's coach,
the former Barcelona and Spain boss.
PSG were grateful on more than one occasion to goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping them on level terms, while Wissam Ben Yedder
hit the woodwork for Monaco in the second half. The result leaves the principality team in third place,
although their Cote d'Azur rivals Nice can climb above them with a win at
Toulouse on Sunday. (News Source By The Daily Star)