‘Embarrassing baby’: Fans slate Mbappe as PSG star’s touchline bust-up with Tuchel will leave Real Madrid rubbing hands with glee
Football fans have slammed Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe after the 21-year-old hotshot was involved in an ugly touchline spat with manager Thomas Tuchel after being substituted in the 5-0 win against Montpellier.
Mbappe netted PSG’s fourth goal in their romp at the Parc des Princes, collecting a Neymar pass and rounding Montpellier goalkeeper Mathis Carvalho and slotting home.
Layvin Kurzawa added a fifth for the hosts soon after, prompting German PSG boss Tuchel to bring Mbappe off with around 20 minutes to play and replace him with Mauro Icardi.
But that decision didn’t go down well with the French World Cup winner, as he was involved in an angry exchange with Tuchel on the touchline as the PSG boss tried to explain himself to the young forward.
@KMbappe pas content de sortir… #PSGMHSC @lequipe @PSG_inside pic.twitter.com/PtvMoskaD5
— Nicolas Ruderman (@nicolasruderman) February 1, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The German was seen holding Mbappe’s shoulders while the striker attempted to move past, clearly nonplussed at being brought off early.
The pair continued to remonstrate, covering their mouths so that lipreaders could not make out what was being uttered, before a glum Mbappe finally took his seat in the stands.
Footage circulated online as some fans slammed Mbappe for what they felt was “embarrassing” behavior.
Embarrassing little baby
— ?A Kanda (@adnakhsina) February 1, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
You have to respect the coach decision, mbappe is too young for all this drama
— Ridwan (@ridwan1707) February 1, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The incident seemed out of character for the prolific French forward, who joined PSG from Monaco initially on loan in 2017 before signing permanently on a €180 million a year later.
Despite his superstardom and reputation as the most valuable player in the game, Mbappe is widely seen as a down-to-earth player with a professional attitude.
He has, however, been the subject of fervent speculation of a move to Real Madrid. The forward’s current deal with PSG runs until the summer of 2022, although there have been reports he is stalling on an extension to that amid links to the Madrid giants.
Mbappe idolizes current Real boss and fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, and there are reports Real could make a firm move to bring the forward to the Bernabeu this summer.
With the discontent on show on Saturday, fans felt Real would be looking on with glee at the situation between Tuchel and Mbappe.
— Diego M Llorente (@DMLlorente) February 1, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The German attempted to play down the row after the match saying: “These are not good images, but we are not the only club that has this kind of reaction. I saw it with Dortmund [the manager’s former club].
“It is not good because it opens up subjects, it is a distraction. I am not angry but I am sad because it is not necessary.”
Mbappe’s strike against Montpellier was his 22nd in 25 games across all competitions this season.
It was a comfortable night for the runaway Ligue 1 leaders against a Montpellier team who ended the game with nine men, after goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud was sent off for handling outside the box in the 17th minute, while Joris Chotard was shown a late red card.
Pablo Sarabia handed PSG the lead in the eighth minute, which was doubled on 41 minutes when Angel di Maria chipped substitute keeper Carvalho.
Daniel Congre scored an own goal just before the break, and Mbappe and Kurzawa completed the romp in the second half.
One man not on the scoresheet was Neymar, who required treatment after being injured by Montpellier’s Arnaud Souquet near the end of the first half.
The Brazilian was fuming at match officials, and was seen arguing with the fourth official in the tunnel at the break.
The Brazilian finished the match, however, as PSG moved 13 points clear at the top of the table, with second-placed Marseilles playing Bordeaux on Sunday.
